Academy Heartless
by Rayvah
Summary: After saving the world. Again. Sora has to go... to magic school? And it's controlled by Organization XIII! After KH2. Spoilers. Sora,Axel,Zexion,Leon. ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. But if I did I would be Japanese.**

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**Academy Heartless**

Chapter 1

Sora scratched his head absently. He waited -- riding on the train that would be dropping him off at his new school.

His new magic school.

Sora sighed. He was a fighter! He had been the KeyBLADE master, after all. But someone apparantly decided that the magic he had been able to harness and use far outshone his martial skills. Not that magic was a bad thing. It was as fun to beat heartless over the head with as anything -- but magic seemed to always involve study. Sora grimaced. He liked to think of himself as a "Man of Action". When he said that to Riku, all he got was a chuckle and ruffled hair with the words "You still can't beat me at a game of blitzball. You aren't a man yet."

Sora blew his bangs out of his hair with a huff. That's what he got for being good at everything. He leaned back with a self-pitying sigh.

At least he wouldn't be far from home. The door on the island that previously lead to the darkness inbetween the worlds now led to a train station on the upper west side of Radiant Garden. Go figure. It must have been something King Mickey had rigged. They just didn't seem to think that the hero of the worlds should be left alone, Sora thought, leaning back on his arms against the slight rocking of the train wall. Well, not to forget Donald and Goofy, of course. They were heroes too.

But -- school! Pshh. It wasn't the summons he thought he would be getting when that letter from King Mickey had arrived. He was used to swimming with mermaids and running with lions!

Sora was certain he would be bored to tears.

The train whistled and slowed, signaling its arrival at the station. Sora grabbed his bag. It didn't have much in it -- besides the regular pencil and paper type stuff, and lunch. He wasn't sure what he needed. The classes had actually started a few weeks ago and Sora had missed all the orientation that involved. It had taken that long to figure out how to connect his world quickly and easily with the others. Apparantly school-age kids weren't allowed their own gummi ships.

Sora had generously agreed to forgo the entire semester and start next spring... but the King said it wouldn't be a problem and Sora should be able to catch up easily considering his previous experience.

He grumbled as he got off the train. He guessed it was just as well. Riku was working at the docks during the day most of the time, and Kairi... Sora paused. Kairi just seemed really distracted lately. He asked her about it -- if she was sick or anything. She got kinda annoyed and said he wouldn't understand. That it "was a girl thing".

Shaking his head Sora walked out onto the street. Women! Who can understand 'em?

Stopping a man on the street, Sora asked if he knew the way to the new magician's school. He did. Everybody did, apparantly. A lot of the structures in Radiant Garden were new, but none nearly as impressive as Ansem Memorial Academy.

As he neared it, he could see why. The building was far taller than any of the others around it. It was topped with a big clock tower with hands that seemed made of gold. He noticed that they glinted in the sun as he made his way towards the campus.

Coming to a stop near the campus entrance, Sora realized he had no idea where to go. Hmm. Maybe there was something in the packet that his mom gave him a few days ago. Opening his bag, he pulled out the large brown envelope. It had arrived with the note from King Mickey saying that the door was ready to be used. He hadn't opened it -- even though his mom had pestered him to. He figured the first day of school couldn't be that complicated. And he'd be home tonight. But... the campus was so big. Maybe the classes here were more involved than he gave it all credit for. Sora started unwinding the seal of the envelope. Maybe there was a map inside?

Peering inside Sora noticed several sheets of paper and a small sealed package. He was curious, but decided to save that for later. He needed a map right now. Dropping the envelope back into his bag he shifted through the papers. One was a map, another a class schedule. And the third... Sora groaned. The third was a list of supplies he would need for school. He scanned it. Yep. It was full of stuff that implied studying. Books and books and... more books. And a magic baton. Sora paused thoughtfully. Well -- magic batons could be cool. Though he had never used one before with his magic. He wondered how that would work.

Glancing even further down the list he noticed a few listing for things like dried frog toes and spider eggs. Yeah. That could definatly be cool! Maybe he could even trick Kairi into helping him collect his supplies. If she was in a better mood tonight than lately.

Again slinging his bag over his shoulder he followed the map and found the main building. It was decorated with huge colums. Almost like being back at the Coliseum, he thought as he let his gaze drift upward. Inside was no less impressive. He guessed if you were going to build an Ansem Memorial school you couldn't really be cheap about it.

Sora climbed a few flights of stairs up to wear it said the Administrator's Office was. It was in big, official letters on the map so he figured that was as good a place to start as any.

Going down the hallway, he saw large double doors slightly higher than the rest in the hall. Made of rich mahogany wood they seemed shiny enough to see yourself in. Or brush your teeth in. Or make faces in...

Sora coughed, leaning away from the doors. He was lucky the windows were tinted and no one could see him acting so ridiculous on his first day here. He had to make a good impression or it could mean trouble later.

Taking a breath, Sora stood back and prepared himself to go in. The doors seemed so much more imposing than they had a moment ago. All tall and... dark. And "Administrator's Office" was printed in large silver lettering on the window. Sora looked down at his map again and glanced up at the door. Yeah, he couldn't have missed this office if he wanted to.

Pushing the door opening softly, Sora peered inside. He was a little relieved to see only a desk in the middle of the room with the pretty lady who seemed to be organizing stacks of papers. At the sound of the release of breath he didn't realize he'd been holding the pretty lady looked up, and smiled warmly. Sora could feel himself blushing.

"Well come in... you must be Sora. We've been expecting you."

Sora walked in nervously, fumbling with his bag.

"Umm... Hi.", he seemed to croak out. Oh crap. He hated it when that happened.

"I'm sorry the Administrator is not here right now, Sora." The lady smiled warmly again. "But I have you're schedule here and you can go ahead and attend a few of your classes this afternoon and he can find you later on."

Sora stepped forward and took the note she was leaning over to hand him. He gulped. "Er... I don't have any of my supplies."

The lady furrowed her brow for a moment. "Well -- that's alright. We'll just have to take care of those later today as well." She smiled.

He was already nervous. This wasn't helping. He had to get out of here, quick.

"Umm... ok thankyouverymuch" Sora blurted as he stumbled backwards a little towards the door.

"Oh... and Sora?"

Sora peered up. "...Yes?"

"If you need anything at all today just let me know. My name is Scarlet."

Sora burst out the door, and ran down the hall just a little. Until he realized how that must have looked. He groaned inwardly. He must have looked really stupid. He should just relax. It was just a pretty girl... a pretty...um, woman, Sora thought with another gulp.

He gathered his thoughts for a moment. He had to figure out where he was supposed to be. Reaching down, he unfolded the schedule that Scarlet had given him. Four classes were listed. The first of them this morning, "Introduction to Magic", he'd already missed. Oh well. He'd already been introducted to magic a long time ago. By the butt-end of a gunblade if he remembered correctly. The second class was still in progress though. He could make the last half of "Magician's Herbs 101". Joy.

The class was in another building, which he hurried to. Luckily it wasn't far away -- considering the size of the campus he might have missed class number two as well trying to get to it. Hmmm...

No! Got to get to class! Sora told himself pluckily. What Would King Mickey Do? He practically whistled to himself on the way over to the new building. He would probabaly give a cryptic and/or inspirational message and dissapear for a few weeks. Sora didn't think he could do that. Well, and get away with it.

Walking up to the classroom door he noticed that, compared to the Big Doors, it was far less imposing. Class seemed a rather cheerful prospect at the moment, actually.

He tried the handle. Locked.

Urgh. Disciplinary Measures. He might be stuck out here waiting for an hour anyways...

The door started to open. Sora plastered his biggest smile on his face.

Good impression, good impression, good impression...

"Hi! I'm... Ahhh!"

"Well, Well -- look who we've got here!"

Sora stared open mouthed at the figure standing in the doorway before him. Long red hair. Painted tear-drop eye. No long black robe. No Circles of Death. But the identity was unmistakable.

"Axel!"

"Haha! Good to see that you remember." He chuckled again. "You sure took your sweet time getting here."

"B...But you're dead!" Sora managed to splutter out. What was going on?

"Sure," He replied non-chalantly, leaning up against the doorframe "Why else would I be here?"

Sora just gawked at him. The bizarre but lone thought that sprang to his mind was that maybe he was in the wrong building...

"Oh. I guess they haven't said anything to you yet. Amateurs." Axel leaned towards him a little. Sora unconciously backed up.

"I am dead."

Sora stared blankly. That wasn't helpful.

"Well, you see, Sora" Axel put his arm around him, a little too tightly. Sora struggled to get away. "Ansem still had all our memories stored along with the rest of his notes and data. Since we were his apprentices, it was decided that our knowledge would be suited best to teaching up-and-coming magic users. So here we are -- only memory constructs though. We can't go off this campus. Just here to teach."

Sora was trying to digest this.

"I guess you could call us a Nobody's Nobody!" Axel laughed heartily as his joke, then gave Sora an exasperated look when he didn't join in.

"Aw, just get inside", He said as he slapped Sora hard on the back. "You're disrupting class."

Moving towards the door, Sora stared straight ahead, unable to really focus. This was so weird...

Axel caught his arm as he passed and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Oh -- and Sora. Don't worry about the other teachers. I'm sure none of them hold it against you that you killed them."

A strange sort of panic set in below the shock. The other teachers? That he killed?

Aware of many eyes on him, Sora didn't have the heart at the moment to study any of the faces around him. He slowly made his way towards an empty seat, and took it, staring blearily at the smiling dead man before him at the front of the class.

This was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

I wrote almost this whole chapter while dining on a jar of Nutella. I only discovered it recently. I wonder what I was doing with my life up til this point.

Scarlet is a character from Final Fantasy VII (which I also don't own) I decided to incorporate. She's not an OC. I tried that once and it didn't come across too well, I thought...

Ah well, hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Academy Heartless**

**Chapter 2**

Sora sighed. The day that had started out being kind-of exciting had gone from being insanely nerve-wracking, to exhausting to now quite boring.

Axel's class, Magician's Herbs, had been upsetting. Sora wondered why Axel was teaching botany. Granted, Sora couldn't imagine any of the Nobodies he knew, or anybody for that matter, sitting down to watch a bunch of plants grow -- but Axel seemed uniquely unsuited to it. That was proven even further as for the remainder of the class. Sora listened morosely as Axel stumbled through the scientific terms for the plants. Not that he was really paying that much attention anyways. He had other things on his mind -- like facing every member of Organization XIII again that he'd fought, and in some cases destroyed, over the past year. Despite Axel's "reassurance", Sora didn't think that any of them would have good feelings for him.

But on the other hand, there's no way that King Mickey would send him someplace his life would be in danger. Right?

Sora was still worried. He was worried throughout Axel's all-too-long but all-too-short plant class, and the all-too-long all-too-short walk to his next, "Martial Defense". Axel had given him an enthusiastic thumbs-up sign as he filed out with the rest of the students. He'd really wanted to look forward to the next class. One class at least where he could move around -- practice his skills! Some place he could show off nice. Instead, all he could think of was who would be teaching...

As it turned out, the day seemed to want to cut a break for Sora. The class was actually in a large gym, and being a little more focused to look around -- Sora noticed a familiar face.

"Hayner!"

All the students were sitting in a cluster near the bags of equiptment at the center of the room. Hayner, seeing Sora, got up and ran over to where he stood.

"Sora!" He seemed a little bewildered. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Hey! I could ask you the same question!" He said, smirking with this arms crossed. Someone here he actually recognized -- that he knew had no reason to want him dead. The day was looking up!

"Aww... well you know," Hayner grinned "I didn't want anyone feeling too out-classed in the Struggle Tournaments. I figured I ought to switch careers!"

"Ha!", Sora stood with his hands behind his head "That's not exactly how I remember it."

"I've gotten good at the Struggle! So you'd better watch your back in here..."

"ALRIGHT EVERYBODY QUIET!"

A loud, booming voice rang out over the chatter of the students, and Sora remembered again why he was dreading being here. He turned his head slowly to where the voice was resounding from, his face screwed up in a grimace. However, he was relieved... and a little confused... to see a woman standing there that he did not recognize. Actually, Sora had a hard time believing that the horrible voice he'd heard had come out of the small, blond lady. He looked glanced around a little more. Surely, someone else had come in too...

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO STANDING OVER THERE FOR? MY CLASS IS STARTING AND YOU NEED TO BE SITTING...DOWN...NOW!"

Sora gaped at the woman.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" His first urge was to drop everything and salute the screaming woman. The second was to find the quickest seat possible -- right where he was. Anything to stop the racket! On consideration, Sora figured that either one of these reactions would probabaly cause her to think he was some kind of wise guy. Not what he needed.

Sora and Hayner both scrambled over to the group of students already sitting. Sora bet they'd been yelled at in the past. A lot.

Not having any other thoughts to cling to, Sora miserably went over his mantra in his head...

Good impression, good impression, good impression...

He was not making a good impression.

But at least this wasn't a Nobody, right? Surely, they had regular teachers here too...

"I SAID BE QUIET!" The woman glared at a couple of girls who were giggling at him and Hayner's little display.

"NOW" The woman cleared her throat, "Can anyone tell me what we went over yesterday?"

She smiled sweetly.

Sora felt a little nauseous. The woman who was yelling and the woman who was smiling weren't the same girl! He blanched. What other strange personalities was she hiding behind that sweet face? Maybe she _was_ a Nobody.

Sora studied her, not really paying attention to what the other students were saying about yesterday's lesson. She had a strange sense of style, for sure -- just like all the other Organization members he'd known. Her short blond hair was slicked back, and two strands hung from the front of her head. They looked like bug antennae. Sora wondered absently if she knew, or if she chose to wear her hair like that. Sometimes Kairi complained when her hair wouldn't stay down on the sides and she ended up with nasty cowlicks. Maybe this lady had the same problem and had just decided to go with it.

He shook his head. Cowlicks alone didn't finger someone as a Nobody. And Sora _didn't recognize _her. But he did recognize the feeling of familiarity he had when he'd seen other Organization members. He had Roxas to thank for that, probably.

The feeling of temporary relief he'd felt dissipated. She had to be a Nobody... and even if he hadn't killed her, he'd killed her friends, he was sure...

"Hey, Sora. You alright?"

Hayner's voice startled Sora out of his reverie. He guessed his thoughts had been all over his face, like always.

"Sora?"

"I'm ok." He whispered back. "Hey, Hayner -- do you know if she's one of the Organization members?"

Blinking, Hayner stared quizzically at Sora.

"The wha...?"

"HEY I THOUGHT I SAID NO TALKING! WHO IS DISRUPTING MY CLASS?"

Uh-oh. Busted. The woman came marching over to where Sora and Hayner sat. Hands on her hips and looking very formidable from a position on the floor, she stared down at them.

"Oh... I see. So, the Keyblade Master doesn't think he has anything to learn about Martial Defense, does he?" Several students in the room began whispering to each other and curiously eyeing Sora.

"No..." Oh man, how did he get in trouble already?

"Heh heh. The name's Larxene." The woman winked at him. "Commit it to memory."

Sora groaned inwardly. Obviously, she was a friend of Axel's.

"BUT YOU WILL CALL ME MA'AM!"

"N... Yes Ma'am!" Sora jumped to his feet. And this time he did salute, to the amusement of his classmates. Several more giggles assaulted his ears.

"Well Keyblade Master... Let me tell you this. YOU AREN'T WORTH TEACHING ANYTHING TO YET! UNTIL I SAY! FOR NOW -- YOU RUN LAPS!" She gestured to the surrounding room. "MOVE!"

Sora took off, with Hayner staring after him from his place on the floor. Larxene turned her attention to him.

"BOTH OF YOU!"

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After the little fiasco in the gym, Sora was tired and sore... and not at all ready to face the last class of his day. Hayner wasn't in much better shape, and unfortunately his last class was on the other side of campus from Sora. They both managed a feeble wave and smile, with the promise to meet up again tomorrow. Sora had mentally kicked himself later for not even asking what Hayner's first class of the day was.

But there was only one more to go. "Zoology", it was called. And a small undefiled corner in Sora's heart was still hoping for the best. Zoology? As in zoos and dangerous creatures that should be locked away? Could be cool...

Whatever luck had been holding for Sora so far ran out on this class, though. As soon as he entered the classroom, he could feel eyes boring into him. Looking over, he saw Xaldin, the long-haired Nobody he had fought at Beast's Castle. Whom Mickey had actually had to save him from. Sora shuddered.

I hope he doesn't need to save me again...

As Xaldin gave his monotone lecture, his eyes never left Sora. When he called on other students or spoke to them, he still sat facing Sora, glaring. The other students were feeling the tension too, and shifting nervously in their seats. Sora would have jumped up and run out of the classroom, no matter the consequences, if he hadn't been so exhausted already...

Part way through the class a knock sounded on the door. Xaldin was angry at having to break his line-of-sight glare with Sora, but got up to answer it. His expression softened a little when he opened to door to see Scarlet, the Administrator's secretary standing there. She smiled warmly and said something that Sora could not quite make out. Xaldin muttered something gruffly under his breath and moved away from the door, to sit back at his desk. He was scowling. But at least he wasn't looking directly at Sora this time -- something for which Sora was more than grateful!

Scarlet beckoned him over to the door. Glancing cautiously at Xaldin, who still wasn't paying him any obvious attention, Sora went over.

"Sora," Scarlet began "The Administrator wants to meet with you. Sorry for having to take you out of class, but he has duties later on and won't be free afterward."

Sorry? Sora couldn't even remember going back to his seat to retrieve his things. It seemed to have happened somewhere between Scarlet saying "out of class" and "but". He was so glad to get out of there!

He was tired enough that he almost... _almost_ didn't even think to be nervous around Scarlet. But as she chatted cheerfully with him on the way back to the office, Sora felt his blush deepen.

"So, Sora -- have you enjoyed your classes so far?"

He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath.

"I'm sorry... what?"

"They're great." He sighed. That was a lie.

"Well," Scarlet looked over at him with a slightly knowing smile. "Don't worry about Xaldin. He's really harmless. He takes care of the Dragoons we have on campus -- and I think he's just adopted their temperament over time."

"Oh... well, that's ok. Wait... you have Dragoons? On campus?" He stared over at Scarlet. Now they were talking! Some of his good humor returned. "Do you think we can ride 'em, huh?"

"Ah.." Scarlet paused, opening to the door to the office. "How about we just wait to see the Administrator first?"

"Oh... " His face fell a little. So much for that. "Alright"

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Two hours later, and Sora was still waiting.

After entering the office, Scarlet was dismayed to find that the Administrator had left a note saying he would return as soon as possible. She apologized profusely to Sora. But anything that got him out of _that _class, he was glad for...

An hour later, he was still singing the same tune.

Two hours was pushing it.

Scarlet had been in and out of the office. Telling him the Administrator had probably just been called away on urgent business and would be back shortly. She cast a few apologetic looks at Sora as she ran about doing her various tasks.

Bored, Sora decided to take a look at his packet again from earlier. He'd only glanced over some of the papers. He sighed. Papers weren't interesting… but they sure were more interesting than that wall he'd been staring at since he'd been here.

The first thing he noticed after opening the packet was the small box resting in the bottom corner.

Oh yeah! He'd forgotten about that…

Digging his hand in, Sora grabbed the small box, dropping the packet back into his bag. It was wrapped in brown paper and was about the size of his palm. Should he be careful?

He thought about opening the package slowly, then realized when he looked down it was too late. His hands, regardless of his will, had torn into the box already and had it opened. Oh well!

Inside the package was what looked like a ring box. Flipping it open, Sora found… what do you know, a ring resting on the inside.

He flinched. Jewelry? He studied the ring. It was just a gold band. But it had the engraving of a keyblade on the top. Huh. He turned it in his hand. Smaller engravings of other things decorated the outside. A sword, a bow and arrow, a magical staff…

Perking up, he imagined it must be one of those magic rings. He had plenty of them from his travels. Though none that he'd brought with him. Slipping the ring on he waited to feel some flow of power coming out of it like he'd had with other items.

He waited. But nothing happened.

Frowning, Sora tried turning it on his hand. Nothing at all.

Sora grunted as he took it off. Useless ring. He wondered who sent it. King Mickey?

He stuck the ring in his pocket. He'd ask about it whenever Fabled Administrator actually deigned to come see him.

Crossing his arms, Sora once again settled back into his chair for a long wait.

As he stared up at the clock he suddenly heard the door open behind him. He was alone in the office and expected it was just Scarlet coming in again. But when he turned he saw a tall man standing with his hand on the door. He was dressed in a suit and had blue hair that was short in the back and long in the front, covering half his face.

Man, those must get in the way... the thought crossed Sora's mind as he glanced as his own slightly out-of-control bangs.

Well, maybe only a little.

Sora stood as the man walked forward and put his hand forward for him to shake.

"Hello, Sora. My name is Zexion. I'm the Administrator."

"Um... hi... Sir." He mumbled lamely. Who is this guy? He hadn't been sure who the Administrator was, but had half hoped it would be Leon.

"My apologies for having kept you waiting. An urgent matter called me away unexpectedly. It wasn't my intention for Scarlet to pull you out of class only to sit for two hours." He smiled slightly.

"N-No... no problem at all!" Sora gave his best smile. He had a nice new mantra to go along with it.

Anythings better than Xaldin, Anythings better than Xaldin, Anythings better than Xaldin...

Or Larxene, he added as an afterthought. His legs still remembered the hour spent running around the gymnasium with Hayner.

"Please, come into my office..." Zexion opened the door situated behind Scarlet's desk and gestured for him to enter.

The office was large and roomy. Not as intimidating as the main doors to the office, but tasteful.

Needs more swords. Sora mentally calculated how many weapons could be displayed on the walls. He remembered in school once he'd been on a trip to see a man who collected weapons of all kinds. And even made some. Talk about an intimidating place to walk into... he nodded to himself. That was just what this room needed. If _he_ were the Administrator...

"So, Scarlet mentioned that Professor Xaldin was giving you a difficult time." He moved to sit behind the large oak desk at the center of the room.

"Um… not at all! Really." The last thing he needed was Xaldin thinking he complained about him. He doubted that would improve the Nobody's mood.

Copy Nobody's, Sora amended. He still had a hard time thinking that the people he'd met so far were not the same one's that he had fought before. Xaldin. And Axel…

"Sir? Axel… um, Professor Axel told me that the teacher's here were all apprentices of Ansem that has been recreated from memories... Is that true?"

"Did he?" Zexion smiled. "Well that's one of the things we will talk about. Please" He gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk. "Have a seat"

Sora sat himself down on the chair with his bag clutched in his lap. The day had been kind of hectic. Maybe this guy could give him some answers.

"What Axel told you… is half true. There were six apprentices of Ansem -- who's memories were stored in his database. When studies were being done on hearts, much data was recorded, and Ansem's assistants didn't leave themselves out of the testing process." He shifted slightly in his chair. "We… they, were the main subjects of many of the tests after all."

Right. He did remember reading about that in some of Ansem's… the real Ansem's… reports. It had seemed almost insignificant to him that only six of them were originally apprentices of him. Organization XIII was Organization XIII. Partly apprentice. All crazy.

But then how…?

"Um… if only some of them were apprentices – then… are the six the only ones here?"

Zexion shook his head slightly, "No. Most of the members of the Organization have been revived. Even those never under Ansem's tutelage. Axel, for instance."

"Axel isn't? But he said it like he was." Huh. Sora pondered for a moment "How is he here then? And… Larxene?" Their original names had been in the reports—and he started to vaguely remember, but dern it he was NOT good with word puzzles.

"It's a strange world where old habits don't die as easily as hearts. But it seems to be the truth. Even after becoming Nobodies… the Organization… still proceeded to do tests. And document all their data. New members not excluded. As for Axel… I do not know why he referred to himself as an apprentice." He paused for a moment, and smiled slightly "Perhaps his memory is slipping."

Hmm. So weird. He was going to have some trouble processing all this – but he still had a few more questions!

"If there's so much data why didn't they just get someone to teach it instead of bringing everyone back to life? Isn't that…erm, dangerous?" Sora eyed Zexion "Uh… no offense?"

Was he a former Nobody? Sora pondered. He didn't recognize him. But there was a feeling of familiarity there. Not as strong as with Larxene… Sora flinched as he thought about going back to class tomorrow… but it was still there.

"None taken." The blue-haired man chucked softly. "I am made after the data of one of Ansem's assistants. In case you were wondering."

Oh. Thinking back, he had said "We" before, right? But he'd been careful not to again – maybe he didn't want to make Sora feel uncomfortable? And that name. Axel, Xaldin, Larxene… Zexion. They all had sort of a ring to them. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Umm… have we ever…met?" He couldn't remember. It didn't hurt to ask.

"We have not met" he stated, putting an emphasis on the word "we". So they had not met. But on some level they knew each other. Was he saying that because he himself was a copy – or because he'd known Roxas? Sora didn't know, and wasn't sure he was ready to ask that question.

He was only a kid – this much information was an overload as it was!

He silently reminded himself never to mention that he was a kid in front of Riku.

"It was decided… even by King Mickey, that our memories could be brought back with no danger to anyone. We're programs, and our bodies can only be maintained as long as we remain on this campus. It is a program developed from the original security system that was created. Radiant Garden has made many advancements since Leon and his team have been heading up all the research here." Zexion leaned back in his chair.

Leon… right! And everybody else…it had been awhile since he'd seen any of them!

"Do you think I could see Leon?" Sora jumped forward from his chair, grabbing hold of the edge of the desk.

Zexion blinked and sat forward again. Oh. Authority figure.

"Sir!" Sora stood up, taking his hands off the desk.

"You could probably see him today, if you like. If you don't have anymore questions." Zexion sat forward with his hands folded on the desk.

"Nope!" Sora grabbed his bag. Everybody at this school was a little weird. And if he trusted anyone, it was Leon.

"Well, I know Scarlet has already given you your schedule. And, I suppose…" Zexion put his fingers up to his lips thoughtfully "you can pick up your school supplies in town as well…"

Oh. Yeah.

"…Unless you've taken care of that already." Zexion smiled slightly, glancing at Sora's near-empty bag.

A loud knock resounded from the door, saving Sora from having to say anything regarding his neglect of the package that he'd gotten weeks ago.

"Come in." The Administrator called softly from his chair.

The door swung open and Axel strode in.

"Z…oh, hey there kid." Axel said, glancing over at Sora. "Just had to have a word with the Admin. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all, _Professor_ Axel. I was just filling Sora in a bit about how this campus was run." Zexion sat back, his hands folded, covering the lower half of his face. He looked slightly annoyed. But maybe it was only Sora's imagination.

Then again, Axel could "slightly annoy" just about anybody.

"Oh. Right." Axel rubbed a palm through the side of his hair, looking a little sheepish.

"Well, if that really is all Sora…" Zexion turned back towards him.

"Yeah! Absolutely!" He hadn't seen the gang at Radiant Garden for quite awhile. He headed towards the door.

"If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask…" Zexion glanced at Axel, "…Scarlet or myself."

"Hey…" Axel began.

"No problem!" Sora skipped out the door, leaving it to swing shut behind him.

Oh man. It was nice to get out of that room. Not only had he been stuck in there for hours, but all the questions Zexion had answered was making his head spin…

Sora stopped. Oh, no. He smacked himself in the forehead. He totally forgot to even ask about the ring he'd found in his bag earlier. He turned on his heel back towards the office.

How stupid. Zexion must have asked him twenty times if he had any more questions...

"So, do you think they sent him to spy on us?"

Sora went back into the office, pulling up short of Zexion's door. Axel's voice seeped out into the room through a slight gap. It had not closed entirely when Sora ran out.

Hmm… what to do? Sora let a big grin spread over his face. Spy time! He inched up closer and could just make out the two faces looking at each other across the desk.

"I think you're jumping to conclusions."

"You think so?" Axel crossed his arms over his chest.

Zexion paused but said nothing. He nodded curtly.

"I think it's more likely that they sent him here for his own protection."

"Hmph! Protection from what? He's already beaten the strongest threat the worlds have seen in a long time. We probably need more protection than he does."

Zexion was silent. Axel frowned.

"Tell ya what - next time Leon or one of his lackey's come onto campus you 'n me go knock 'em about a little and ask just what's going on!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that's not how I do things?" Zexion frowned at him, his brows furrowed.

"Heh, heh - you should learn to have more fun, Zexy!"

"Don't call me that." This time he scowled. Axel smirked.

"Whatever you say, _Administrator_." He gave a slightly mocking bow, his arm out to the side.

"Also, try to refrain from "explaining" any more things to Sora. It always seems to be that you have too much to say."

"Well I had to tell him something -- I couldn't pretend like I wasn't supposed to be dead." Axel crossed his arms over his chest "But if he comes to me with anymore questions?"

"Refer any of his inquiries to me in the future, if you would."

"Yes, Administrator." Axel smirked again. Zexion sighed.

Sora leaned back from the door. He should go before either of those two got tired of arguing and noticed he was there. He snuck back towards the exit.

"Just keep an eye on him for now…"

Zexion's voice followed him out into the hallway.

Sora walked to the stairs, his arms folded behind his head, looking thoughtful.

Yeah, he definitely needed to find Leon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

Sorry. It'll probabaly be taking me longer to put up chapters because I started classes recently. School. Ick! But I still manage to find ways to amuse myself. While driving onto the highway not long ago, while I was working on Chapter 2 -- I passed a sign that said:

"3 or more Axels keep Left"

Ha ha. I am so easy to please:-P

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Academy Heartless**

Chapter 3

Sora was thinking so hard that he almost forgot where he was going. The city had changed A LOT since he'd been there last. Not only was the clock tower where the school stood different, but a dozen other buildings at least half as tall had sprung up. He wasn't so sure anymore that he knew where to find Leon and the others.

Merlin's house always seemed to be the place to go, and Sora decided to try locating it first. Surely, it couldn't be THAT hard to find.

He wandered around for about an hour before finally starting to get a feel for the city and feeling that he recognized some things. Even the valley where he'd fought over a thousand enemies before seemed to show some signs of residential building. Pretty soon it would be as full of people as the Market Plaza.

_Weird._

Finally, after a little more wandering -- he'd noticed a few shops that might have some of his school supplies -- a familiar looking door came into view. It was nestled on a side street behind a very tall building that Sora was sure he hadn't seen before, yet was next to one he'd passed fifty times at least.

But it was comforting to finally be somewhere he felt familiar with. With the tall building blocking the view of the rest of the city, Sora could almost pretend nothing had changed at all.

Man -- what if _nobody_ was here? The house did look a little dingy compared to all the new buildings all around -- maybe Merlin decided to set up shop in a nice little tower somewhere. I mean -- when you're helping build the city, you can go where you want right?

_Nothing to do but try._

Sora knocked hard on the door. No answer came. Hmm. Well -- nothing for it. _It's not like I made a habit of knocking before_. He, Donald and Goofy had been in and out so much on their journeys before that finally Merlin got fed up with having his experiments interrupted and just told them to come and go as they pleased -- and try not to mess anything up.

Opening the door, which was thankfully unlocked, Sora hesitantly peered inside. It was dim, but not completely dark -- the light of early evening seeped in through the front windows. And... electronic light from a large computer further illuminated the room from the wall opposite where he stood.

Huh. The computer was on... but there didn't appear to be anyone here. But, looking around, he could see signs that someone still lived in the dingy house. A rumpled bed. A few plates left on the table... a towel draped over the back of a chair. Nothing to give away just _who_ might be staying here now... who might be coming back.

Probably he should leave -- or wait outside. If the house didn't belong to Merlin anymore, whoever came home to find him snooping around their place might just help him out. Literally. Out the front door.

Sora moved towards the exit, only to hear footsteps approaching from the outside.

Shoot. He hadn't even closed the door completely. Sora heard the footsteps slow and then stop as they realized the door they'd left closed was now slightly ajar.

Aww, man -- should he hide? That would look even more suspicious to whoever was out there. Maybe he should just go straight out there and explain that he was looking for Leon. Surely, Leon must be a bit of a celebrity around town by now, and...whoever was out there... would certainly understand why he'd come _here_ looking for him. Or maybe he should just...

Before he could go over more escape scenarios in his head, the door burst inward and, with a surprised yelp, Sora found himself slammed backward onto the floor. He clenched his eyes shut, putting up his arms and guarding automatically against the unexpected assault. It seemed to happen all at once and before he knew it, there was a heavy weight on his chest, and the unmistakable feel of cold steel against his neck.

Ugh. He must be getting rusty.

For just a moment, both Sora and the one with a sword to his throat held their breath. Then...

"Sora?" questioned a surprised voice from above him.

Sora cautiously opened an eyelid, peeking out. He recognized that voice.

"Uh... hey, Leon." Sora replied a bit sheepishly. He felt kinda stupid being caught so off-guard. Especially when it was by just the person _he _had been looking for...

_Must be my lucky day_, Sora thought wryly.

"I've been all over the city today searching for you." Leon stood, staring down at the boy sprawled out on the floor, his expression slightly bewildered.

"Uh -- yeah, me too." he sat up, rubbing the back of his head where it'd slammed against the floor when he'd been tackled. Sora flinched. That was gonna leave a mark.

"You've been what?" Leon reached down, offering Sora the hand that was not clutching his gunblade.

"Oh, well I've been looking for _you_." He took the hand offered and let Leon pull him to his feet. "Though, ah... heh. I thought I'd get a warmer welcome than _that_." He smirked at Leon. Maybe if he played this right Leon would forget that was _Sora_ that had snuck into _his_ house...

"Right. Sorry about that." He set the gunblade on the table and turned away to turn on a few of the lamps across the room.

_Alright! Off the hook... _

"But you really shouldn't sneak into other people's homes when they aren't around." Leon's back was turned to him but Sora could hear the slight note of amusement in his voice.

_Aww -- busted. _Sora scratched his head and managed to look embarrassed for the one moment before Leon could turn around to see any apology on his face. After all... if he didn't want people in his house, he should lock the door -- right?

"It was unlocked -- anyways, Merlin said..."

Wait... _his_ house?

"Hey! Where _is_ Merlin?" Sora stared questioningly at the dark-haired man across the room. Maybe Leon _didn't_ live here. Maybe he was just visiting -- like everyone did. All the time.

"Merlin doesn't live here anymore." Leon stretched and sat down wearily into the chair next to the table.

"Oh, ah..." Did he have to be tactful here? Or should he just ask?

Best to be tactful...

"So, did Merlin get tired of you guys and decide to split?" Sora chuckled.

...or not.

Leon grunted, his gaze drifting towards the open window. "Nah -- once we started building he set up a place just like the one he had in Traverse Town. Though you might not recognize it. The door's protected by a different element than it was then. He thought it would be prudent... " Leon turned, studying him with a thoughtful look. Sora started to shift uncomfortably. What? Did he have something on his face?

"I might as well tell you, though." He leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs "He's not in town anymore."

"What? Not in town anymore?" Merlin was... gone? But why? Sora traipsed across the room closer to where Leon sat and pulled out a chair.

"He's with Master Yen Sid right now. Been gone for about a month. But he should be returning sometime soon."

"Oh..." Sora furrowed his brow. Sora remembered Master Yen Sid. That guy was way more intimidating than Merlin. But wizards hung out with wizards, he guessed. Trade buddies and all.

Sora spun the chair around and placed it opposite the black clad man, straddling the seat and resting his chin on the back, facing him.

Now, how did he broach _this_ topic? Hey, Leon -- why is the new school King Mickey sent me to overrun by Organization XIII?

"Um, Leon..."

No. No. No. Start decisive. Let him know you mean business and don't appreciate being left out of the loop.

"Right. Leon!" Sora squared his shoulders up and stared down the bridge of his nose at Leon. He might risk going slightly cross-eyed... but it was important to appear intimidating.

Leon sighed. "Yes, Sora?"

"Er... the teachers at the school are..."

_Darn! _Let's try again...

"The teachers are, ah..." No, that wasn't good either.

"Oh...right." Leon sat up, looking directly at Sora. "So you noticed."

So...he'd...noticed...?

"Of course I noticed!" He burst out. "How could I not notice that a bunch of neurotic one-minded supposed-to-be-dead no-souled bodies who may or may not be determined to knock me off walking around in a place I'm going to school -- and they're_ my teachers_!"Sora breathed hard. That was telling him!

"Knock you off?" Leon looked concerned "No no, Sora. You don't have to worry about that. We did bring them back, but not as their former selves. They have all the memories of Organization XIII, but they are completely loyal to the Academy. Trust me on this."

"B-but why did you even bring them back? Why not just have regular... real teachers?" He was trying to understand what this was all about. Really.

"Sora -- I'm sure you know how much Radiant Garden has grown over the past year. It's not just because we are trying to rebuild." He leaned forward, his eyes boring into Sora's "We have to make sure that something like what happened with Xehanort and Xemnas won't happen again. We need more who can fight and protect us -- but we -- just don't have enough people."

Sora thought, in that moment, that the gunblademan looked a little lost...and very tired. He regretted his earlier outburst.

_But I just don't think this is okay._

"It's not like I don't understand where you're coming from with this... but I... I don't like it." That was kinda a lame way to finish. "I mean -- even the Administrator is one of the Organization!" he added for emphasis.

"Oh... that" Leon looked chagrined "That wasn't planned... it's actually why Merlin is visiting Yen Sid. We're hoping to convince him to come here and run the school. He's never one to leave his tower, though... Merlin is the only one who we think has a chance of convincing him. But he's... been gone so long." He lapsed into a brooding silence.

Ah... that made a little more sense.

"But how do you know the Nobodies are loyal to you?" Sora crossed his arms, brow furrowed.

"They aren't Nobodies anymore, Sora. They're just memories... holograms."

"But..."

"They're loyal. Trust me." The way he said it gave the conversation a ring of finality. Sora sighed. He doubted Leon would be willing to give up anymore information at the moment. Guess it was time to go. He'd hoped for a better visit than this...

"Listen, Sora... I'm sorry." Leon stood to open the door for Sora, who was already getting out of the chair. "I promise to let you know if there is any other news." He smiled weakly.

"Hey, it's cool..." Sora grinned. "I gotta pick up my school supplies anyways..."

School supplies. List. Folder... Ring!

"Oh yeah!" He practically shouted in the tall man's face, but was too busy digging the ring out of his pocket to apologize or look abashed "I found this ring in my folder -- what is it?" He passed the ring over to Leon, who peered slightly at it.

"Oh, this. Wasn't there some kind of letter with it explaining?" He glanced over at Sora questioningly.

"Erm..."

"Well, in any case... this is something that Tron helped us come up with." He handed the ring back to Sora "You put it on your right hand, and when you call your keyblade... you can make it take whatever form you need."

"WHOA! Really?" Sora jumped so high he almost lost hold of the ring and scrambled to catch it. Making the Keyblade take different forms? Definitely cool! His imagination started to run away with images of what he could create...

"Yes" Leon waved distractedly "There should be a letter explaining all of it, but come to me if you need anymore help." He looked a little anxious to get back to whatever work he was doing. Which may have been brooding. Leon made that seem like a full-time job.

"Alright! Well... thanks! And... good to see you, Leon." Sora smiled warmly and held his hand out. Leon stared at him bewildered for just a moment before he returned the smile, and clasped his outstretched hand firmly.

"Good to see you too, Sora. Now get out of here before the last train leaves..." He ruffled the smaller boy's hair before giving him a good shove towards the front door.

"Oh man... the train!" He hadn't thought of that. School supplies might just have to wait! "See ya, Leon!" He ran out the front door, slamming it shut behind him. Man -- it was almost completely dark now.

_It looks like all the shops are closed anyways. _

Dern... which way was the train station again? Sora considered turning back to Merlin... well, Leon's house now... and asking where to go, but didn't want to disturb him again -- he seemed to be getting in one of those moods.

Anyways, he could find it ... as long as he could see the top of the school, and figure out which direction he'd faced it when he arrived.

Pretty soon, Sora was certain he was on his way to the train station. But... he began to feel that prickling sensation on the back of his neck that he usually got when he was using magical items... or when he was being watched.

Slowing down, Sora tried to appear nonchalant... studying the window displays of the stores he passed, while trying to keep an eye on the many shadows which had formed around the bottoms of the buildings.

He listened closely, but could hear no strange noise... or anything really out of the ordinary. Most of the people had already gone to their homes, and the street was very quiet. Not even the normal scurry of rodents or noise of families behind doors settling for the night could be heard. Was it usually this quiet?

Sora walked past one of the windows. It was a store for children's toys... jack in the boxes, dolls, and even kits for magical illusions decorated the window display. They were really well done. Looking closely at some of the figures, you might almost think they were alive.

He leaned forward, looking at the eyes of a small porcelain-skinned doll. If he just watched long enough, it might actually blink...

Suddenly, Sora realized he could see a reflection in the glass. Not of the buildings, but of someone standing in the shadows. Leaning slightly on a leg, ready to run -- he pretended to still study the items in the window display. He couldn't make out the figure in the darkness... maybe it was just a shadow, too...

But no. The larger shadow moved slightly. Towards Sora.

Spinning around suddenly, Sora launched himself at the figure next to the building. The black-clad figure hesitated for moment, then took off running. He'd obviously not expected to be seen, but was far enough away from Sora already that the moment of hesitation didn't cost him.

Running behind him, Sora was hard-pressed to make out any details of the(_man?_)black figure. Whoever it was though was trying hard to lose the quick footed boy. He turned down several side streets, but didn't manage to shake Sora.

Sora would have actually been enjoying this if he hadn't already been just a little freaked out by the fact that a strange person was following him around in the city at night. And after all he'd seen today...

The figure hesitated at the end of the street, which split into three others -- undecided as to which way to go. He looked down each street and Sora put on a burst of speed to try and catch up with him. Closing in, Sora noticed that he wore a robe very similar to the Organization XIII robes. And as he turned...silver hair peeked out the side of the hooded face.

_Ansem?_

No, not Ansem...

"Riku!" Sora cried out to the figure still hesitating at the end of the street. He jumped, startled at hearing Sora's voice... before diving down the alley he faced.

Pumping his legs as fast as they would go, Sora burst around the corner. Only to see...

Nothing.

The street was empty. And all Sora could hear was his own heavy breathing.

He'd lost him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. It just... took forever. Blah.

I really wanna thank those of you who've been giving reviews. They are very encouraging!

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Academy Heartless

Chapter 4

Sora trudged down the road, his head hanging low with both hands shoved deep into pockets. The sky above glittered with the shine of the very deepest part of the night, and home was still far away.

He was in such trouble.

Looking back on things, he should have known that the dark figure he chased after down the alleyway couldn't have been Riku -- but... well... he guessed he couldn't help jumping to the conclusion that Riku might return to the darkness again.

_No... no! _Sora thought, shaking his head. Riku was a different person now. Stronger. He, Sora and Kairi had been drawn close together by the events that had shaped the worlds around them. And nothing was going to change that.

He'd practically run all the way from Radiant Garden to Riku's house. Lucky for him the train station had twenty-four hour service, despite what Leon had said. Sora secretly thought he'd just said it to get rid of him. But it still seemed to take forever to get to the other side of town, through the portal, and back home.

When he finally got there he found absolutely nothing to be frightened of. Riku was asleep -- well, not after Sora started hurling rocks at his window -- but he _had been _asleep. Not wandering the paths of darkness. Not fighting battles down twilit roads where Sora couldn't find him. Just asleep.

Sora was very happy to see him. Way more happy than Riku had been to see _him_ -- trying to break his window in the middle of the night. But all the same, he let him up and listened while Sora told everything that had happened that day. From first seeing Axel alive, well and teaching Botany -- to chasing the mysterious robed figure down the back streets. He even told him that he was worried the dark figure may have _been_ him. He was kinda embarrassed by the thought... but Riku would guess, would know what he'd been thinking. It was best just to say.

Riku had just listened, though – and told him he had to tell Leon (that he knew!) and told him not to tell Kairi. Sora wasn't so sure about that one.

_--------------------------------------------  
__Sora finished his story, looking over at the older boy. Waiting._

_Riku sat down heavily on the edge of his bed. It seemed like years catching up with him as he leaned over, his hands buried in his hair._

_"Riku..."_

_"You have to talk to Leon as soon as possible. From what you said -- he probably doesn't know that this man, or.. whatever it was... is wandering around the streets. He'll want to."_

_"Uh, right..."_

_"And don't talk to Kairi."_

_Sora blinked, looking up from the floor. He saw a ghost of a smile pass over Riku's pale features. _

_"She'll worry." The smile faded.  
__--------------------------------------------_

Sora sighed. He didn't want to hide anything from Kairi. They were both just as capable of handling themselves as Riku was...

Well, maybe not just as capable. Kairi was a _girl_, after all.

Sora shrugged his shoulders and stared up at the sky as he walked back to his own house -- pointedly ignoring the memories of the many times that they had sparred; when Riku had, even with Sora's Hero Training, beaten him.

So if it wasn't Riku running around, then who..?

Organization XIII was supposed to be locked up, safe and sound on campus. Ansem was supposed to be dead. Leon sure had a lot of questions to answer.

Sora slumped a little, and walked towards home.

Trying not to think.

* * *

When he finally reached his front porch, he saw what he feared almost as much as the idea of Riku turning back to the darkness – and that was the angry face of his mother as she glared at him from the porch.

Yeah, the darkness wasn't as scary as that face.

After chewing him out for a good few minutes (in which he couldn't get a word in edgewise) she told him in that exasperated why-do-I-even-bother tone of voice that supper was still waiting on him in the kitchen if he cared. And that she'd already started heating it again when she saw him coming down the road, even though it wouldn't be as good as it originally was of course. He would just have to miss out on that.

Hearing an audible growl come from his stomach at the mention of food, Sora thought he would have eaten the plates she'd cooked the food on -- much less the actual food. As she dished it up she asked (curtly) how his first day of school had gone, but Sora was really too tired and too frazzled to talk about any of it. What parts should he even leave out? He had no idea... and knew he needed to sleep before he talked to anyone else.

Sensing that he needed rest, his mom sighed and hugged him... all forgiven. Even going as far as to let him take his plate of food up to his room to eat. Something that usually was never allowed. His mom could be so mad and such a pushover at the same time. Women. Weird.

_Save the world twice and then she freaks out about me coming home a few hours late._

Sora pulled the door to his room shut behind him, kicking his shoes off then flopping down on the bed. He was almost too tired to eat. Almost. He finished off the last bit of food even as he finished the thought. Huh. Too tired to eat? Guess not.

He pushed the plate aside and laid down, not even bothering to change into his night clothes. What was the use? Just had to get up again in a few hours anyways...

But despite that, and despite the fact he was too tired to even see straight -- he couldn't fall asleep. Images of darting figures and dead men kept flashing before him and Sora knew that if he did manage to fall asleep before dawn, strange dreams awaited.

Finally pushing the covers aside, Sora sat up and just let himself stare at the wall for a few moments.

Axel... and Xaldin... and Riku...

The past always had a way of drawing people back into it.

_And so it goes..._

He was so lost in his thoughts that it took him awhile to even realize there was something in his pocket prodding him in the side, and that it had been irritating him for a while now. He reached down blearily into his pocket, and pulled out the ring from earlier that he'd asked Leon about.

_A ring that makes the keyblade turn into anything I want, huh?_

Sora reached out, to call the keyblade into his hand. It appeared, as it always did -- as it usually did -- in his hand. Even though his body and mind were weary, his heart was strong. There was some comfort in that, at least.

He stared down at the ring in his left hand, glancing again at the etchings along the sides. He released the keyblade and put the ring on the hand that had been weilding it. What did he want the keyblade to be? Hmm...

_Become for me... a hotdog! _Sora summoned the keyblade to his hand.

As a keyblade.

Huh. Well... maybe not something so edible. _If I ate the keyblade, then where would I be?_

_Become for me... a stick!_

Keyblade.

_The newest game that I saw out in the store a week ago!_

Keyblade

_A magical staff, then._

Keyblade.

_A ...sword?_

Keyblade.

_This sucks._ Sora tossed the keyblade to the side of his room, which landed near his window with a thump. It appeared back in his hand only a moment later. He sighed, and banished the keyblade in a flash of light.

_Leon, all your ideas suck..._

He thought wearily as he turned onto his side. And despite his earlier worries, Sora fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.

* * *

He awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming into his face through the window. As well as a sharp pounding at the door. Ugh. How long had it been since he went to sleep? Was that pounding on the door...or was it his head?

Another sharp knock. Well that answered that question. Sora flung a hand over his face. Why was there knocking?

"Sora, Wake up! You have to get ready for school..."

School? Did he even go to school?

"Sora..." his mom's voice once again echoed through the door.

"Mmmup." He mumbled and turned over, burying his face in the pillows.

"Well hurry up... breakfast is on the table and Kairi is here to see you."

Kairi? Why was she here so early? Wha...?

And then the day seemed to finally catch up with Sora. He had started school yesterday. But not the same one Kairi would be heading off to right now. Where he would have been going if King Mickey hadn't sent that special notice that he was to go elsewhere. To a special, magical school. Kairi probably wanted to hear all about it.

Sora swung his legs nimbly over the side of the bed onto the floor. Nimble being a relative term. If nimble meant rolling halfway over then almost falling and finally catching yourself by digging your teeth into the mattress -- then he was practically a cat!

Righting himself, Sora walked over to his closet and grabbed a few clean clothes haphazardly and, after removing the ones he's fallen asleep in, pulled them on. He even had enough presence of mind to grab the plate that he'd carried up the night before as he headed downstairs into the kitchen.

Turning the corner, Sora saw Kairi sitting on the edge of her chair -- swinging her legs and smiling brightly as his mom served breakfast. She looked fresh and neat and wide-awake. Just the opposite of what Sora expected he looked, standing there in mismatched clothes, wearily clutching a food-encrusted plate to his chest.

She wrinkled her nose a little bit and giggled, but didn't seem at all surprised at seeing Sora in his current state.

He'd probably looked worse.

Sora flopped down into the chair next to Kairi and offered her a half-smile. It may have only been yesterday since he saw her last, but it seemed like years.

There was a lot to talk about.

"So, Sora -- how did your first day at school go?" She asked, delicately cutting a piece of food and placing it in her mouth.

Sora stared for a moment down at his own breakfast in front of him. He wondered how girls did that -- look so neat and proper when he really knew they just wanted to tear into it... or they must. That's was half the fun, really...

"Sora?"

"Uh...Well..."

_----"And don't talk to Kairi." ----_

"Oh... um... it was fine." Riku's words still rung in his head, fresh from the night before. Don't talk to Kairi. Don't make her worry.

Sora supposed that was a good idea. For now, anyways. He didn't even know how he would start the long story of yesterday even if he wanted too.

"I haven't been able to get him to talk to me yet either, Kairi. He had quite a late night last night." The two girls turned to look at each other and both giggled a little. Sora felt vaguely annoyed. What had he done now?

"Oh, really, Mr. Late Night? Why out so long?"

"You know... just setting up things at school. Talked to Leon while I was there." He turned his fork, pushing the food around on his plate a little. He wasn't that hungry, actually. He tried his best to take a few bites, though. From experience, he knew he'd regret it later if he didn't.

"Yeah?" Kairi's eyes brightened at this. "I heard they have rebuilt Hollow Bastion... well, ah... Radiant Garden now isn't it? I've heard it's _really_ impressive. But I haven't seen it yet. Is it really impressive? Did Leon and everybody rebuild it all?"

"It's impressive." He knew he sounded unexcited. But he couldn't help it. What he'd be excited about right now would be going back to bed.

Kairi squealed in a high-pitched voice. "Tell me all about it!" She dug into her food with a little more gusto.

"Well, let me tell you later, ok? I need to get there earlier -- uh, I was late yesterday."

"Sora" She rolled her eyes and smiled "Fine. But I'm gonna give you the third degree when you come home!"

"Heh. Deal." He grinned as he pulled back from the table and reached for his bag. Off the hook. He promised himself he'd remember lots of things about the city to tell her later, and maybe she wouldn't even ask about his classes, or teachers...

"Sora" His mom called after him as he reached the door to leave.

He grimaced slightly and turned. She sounded severe. She wasn't mad still, was she?

"You aren't honestly going to school like that, are you?"

Sora looked down at himself. Oh. But... clothes didn't _necessarily_ make the man, did they? And he wanted to get to town early, so he could find Leon and talk to him about yesterday.

"Come on, mom... I don't look that bad."

"Upstairs. And wash up too while your at it. I did not hear any water running before you came down, and I won't be giving you a kiss goodbye until you brush those teeth, at least."

"Fine" He sighed. The things he had to go through...

* * *

Ten minutes later Sora was headed down the road. Despite his grumbling, he did feel much better after cleaning up. Hopefully waking up early would give him the chance to find Leon. And then he'd have something to tell Riku. And Kairi too, maybe. He didn't want her to worry, either -- but it felt wrong to keep her completely in the dark. She could be of help to them if something serious were going on.

He arrived at the Garden train station at about seven-thirtyish. That gave him a good half hour to find Leon and talk to him. Provided he didn't try beating Sora up again. That was a time waster, for sure.

After the train ride, and a few blocks of walking, Merlin's house came into view.

Please be home. Please be home...

Sora rapped sharply on the door, and held his breath. He was about to knock again when a grunted "Come in" came from the other side. Sora's breath came out in a rush. He was here. Good.

He walked in to find Leon leaning over a table covered in papers, his back to Sora.

"Hey, Sora"

How did he do that? He hadn't even turned around. Like he had eyes in the back of his head -- just like his mom. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with distinctive lope of having two feet as big as his head.

"Hey Leon"

_Hey Leon -- I ran into a dark robed figure on the street last night. I think he was going to kill me or something but I chased him -- and then he disappeared into nothing down an alley. What do you think about that, huh?_

"How is everything?" His back was still turned to Sora.

"Uh... I ran into a dark robed figure on the street last night. I think he was going to kill me or something but I chased him -- and then he disappeared into nothing down an alley. What do you think about that?" _Huh?_

It was really hard to be tactful on only a few hours of sleep. Leon slowly straightened up and turned to Sora, eyes wide.

"What did you say?"

Sora sighed heavily. Didn't he just explain?

"Last night when I left -- I was walking back towards the train station, and noticed someone following me. When I turned around they ran the other way. I ran after him but when I went around a corner into an alley he'd vanished. It looked like an Organization XIII member. With silver hair... like Ansem." he finished quietly.

_Don't ask me to explain again. I'm tired._

Leon looked like he was about to faint. And he did pull out a chair and lower himself slowly into it. Sora had never seen a gunblademan faint before. That was one of the things you just never think about seeing.

"Are you sure? About what you saw? There are many kinds of people that wander the street at night you know, Sora."

"I know what I saw." He wished he didn't. In fact it would be fabulous to chalk up the last twenty-four hours to a bad batch of potato soup and a book. Leon was silent for a few moments, considering.

"Sora -- why didn't you come back here last night and tell me?"

_What and miss the twenty-four hour train?_

"Well... I... thought at first that the person I saw was Riku."

Leon looked startled at that, then grave. "I see." An even more somber expression crept onto his face.

"You said all the Organization members at the school couldn't leave. That they were just memories of their former selves." This time the other man didn't even bother to correct him on referring to his teachers as the Organization. Maybe he didn't really believe it either.

"Sora... face it, we don't know who else could be traveling the dark paths. It could be anyone -- not just members of the Organization. King Mickey himself has done it."

_And Riku. Organization XIII is dead -- I've seen their graves, save one. But I saw them walking and talking yesterday._

He wasn't convinced yet that they didn't have anything to do with it.

"What should we do?"

Leon sighed. "I don't know -- I am going to talk with the others about it. Something could be wrong with the programming around the school. I'll find Cid and have him go over it." He was silent for a moment.

"Sora -- did you speak with anyone else about this?"

"Just Riku" He booked it all the way home to see Riku -- of course he talked to him!

"Alright. I'll talk to him, too."

Sora nodded. As much as he didn't want to think about it, Riku was an expert on the dark roads. He might have ideas about what to do that he'd thought up since their conversation last night.

"Well... I gotta get to class. Let me know whats happening, 'k?" Sora turned to leave.

"Sora..." Leon's voice stopped him as he reached for the door handle. He looked back.

"I think it would be best if you stayed at the Academy permanently."

"What?"

Stay at the Academy -- as in not go home, not see his friends... locked up in a crazy school with crazy teachers all day _and_ night?

"Ah..."

Sensing Sora's imminent protest, or -- Sora secretly hoped -- sensing he had voiced an idea so stupid that it required immediate revocation, Leon cut him off.

"This is the best thing to do until we can figure out what exactly is going on here. You can pick up your things tonight and bring them here -- I'll make arrangements for somewhere you can stay."

"But..."

"It's too dangerous, Sora."

_Danger?_ He thought, remembering a story Simba once told him, Donald and Goofy. _I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha!_

Recalling what Simba said happened right after he uttered those words though was a sobering thought. Sticking around here might not be such a bad idea, after all.

"Fine!" He shrugged. Let Leon think he was okay with this... for now. Relief swept over the other man's face. Though usually he wasn't as expressive with his emotions -- these things must be really worrying him. Huh.

"Alright -- go ahead and get to class -- meet me back here afterward."

"Fine." He shrugged again. He was almost eerily convincing at this whole agreeability thing. He turned once again to leave, trying not to notice the slight smirk on the man's face seated across the room.

Sora slipped out and let the door close behind him. It was then he realized:

He still didn't have any of his school supplies.

_Dang_. Well -- even though he might get busted for that, he would still have the fantastic experience of finally having all his classes, in a row, uninterrupted.

Right. Fantastic.

After making it to campus, and locating the building for his "Introduction to Magic" class -- Sora only vaguely wondered who he'd be meeting in here -- he saw Hayner. His hopes lifted a little. Maybe they had another class together!

"Hayner!"

The blond headed boy turned towards him, eyes brightening.

"Hey Sora!"

Running over to meet him, Sora took note of the door where his schedule said his next class took place. He glanced in as he passed -- hoping maybe to see who to expect. It was still empty though, save a few very dedicated (for whatever reason) students.

"Is your class here?" Hayner asked, gesturing towards a door on the opposite side of the hall. Sora's face fell.

"Oh -- well that's ok. At least we'll still have third period together. With Auntie." He'd pronounced it _ant-y_.

"What?"

"That's what we all call her. Cause of, you know..." Hayner pointed at the general vicinity of his forehead. Right. Bug-antennae hair lady. "But don't say it in front of her. Ever. She'll kill you."

Sora didn't doubt it. But before he could say anything else, a bell rang and students that had been standing around in the hall suddenly started to migrate towards the rooms. Dang -- he'd wanted more time to fill Hayner in on some things.

"Listen, Hayner -- I can't explain now but I have some things I wanna ask you about. Can I meet you after class?"

"Sure... everything ok?"

"Yeah -- just had a few questions." No need getting into anything now. He'd need to tell Hayner that he was staying at the school now... but what else? He had to come up with a reason to tell everyone why he was staying here.

"Alright, til then! See ya." Hayner waved, and turned to go to his class. Sora walked back to his own, and took a seat among the throng of students already there.

Once he was sitting down, though -- fatigue started to overtake him again. Maybe that would be a benefit of staying on campus. At least he'd be able to sleep a little later. Among the insane people.

Minutes past, and Sora felt his eyes drooping more and more. He leaned forward, resting his head on his arms.

_If it's really going to take so long for the teacher to come, I might as well just rest my eyes a little bit..._

As his eyes slipped shut, he saw the teacher walk in. A tall man with long silver-blue hair and an X-shaped scar across the bridge of his nose.

_Oh, hey... it's Saïx. _Sora thought, almost cheerfully. Because everything would be okay... as long as he could just rest his eyes for another moment...

And blissfully, Sora drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

Sorry this took so long. Things have just been crazy 'round here lately. Working, going to class, and working on Riku and Sora costumes for me and my roomate has been eating up so much time.

FYI, Someone pointed out that not all of the Organization XIII members were apprentices of Ansem. Oops.

Well, I adjusted a few things in Chapter 2 in the conversation between Sora and Zexion to allow for that. It shouldn't affect the plot too much. So you can reread it only iffin ya want.

Mwa!

* * *

**Academy Heartless**

**Chapter 5**

Sora jolted awake with that panicked feeling when he didn't know how long he'd been asleep, or where he was, or why he woke up. Danger could be imminent. His heart beat fast against his chest.

_Where? What? How...?_

At least one of those questions was answered momentarily as Sora stared up to meet the gaze of his once mortal-enemy-turned-schoolteacher.

Sora tried desperately to think of something that would save him from the trouble that would no doubt come from falling asleep in class. Especially _this_ man's class.

_Hey, Saïx... you know -- that scar doesn't look nearly as bad when your that angry. It must be the eyes. That evil glint really draws attention away from the rest of your face, you know. _

No, he didn't want to say that. Call it one of those hunches.

"You should think more thoroughly about where you choose to rest, Sora."

Right. He'd do that next time. Note to self: Do not fall asleep in presence of possible mortal danger. Check.

Saïx stood there, appearing to be waiting for something. An apology maybe?

"I uh..." Sora croaked. He could use a glass of water.

The older man turned away from him to some girls that were standing near the doorway, gawking at the two of them and exchanging nervous whispers. He noticed that Hayner was standing in the hallway behind them, looking a little impatient. It was only then that Sora glanced around and noticed that everyone else in the class had already left except those girls in the doorway. He had slept through the entire class?

And Saïx had let him?

The girls immediately ceased their conversation when they noticed that Saïx had his unwavering gaze turned towards them.

"I believe you two need to be somewhere". He said it softly, with an underlying threat lacing the edge of his words. You could almost hear the world "else" hanging in the air. _You need to be somewhere else... so I can kill this boy in private. _

Sora shot up from where he was sitting, his arm scrambling for his bag.

"I'msorrysir--won'tletithappenagain IguessI'llbegoingnow..." He was halfway for the door (freedom!) except that Saïx's somewhat gentle yet deadly voice caught him from behind.

"I don't want to have to ask any of your other teachers about why you're falling asleep in class Sora..."

Sora turned around slowly to face the professor.

"Why don't you stay and talk with me a few minutes?"

Sora thought about the idea of Saïx going to his other teachers telling them he'd fallen asleep in class. He thought about the "few minutes" it took to be strangled to death. He thought about Hayner waiting out in the hall for him and the girls (witnesses!) that had already scrambled far away from the room he was in.

"Uh... sure." Sora mentally beat himself over the forehead with a very large stick. It wasn't enough. He started to imagine hurling heavy bricks at his own face. Ah, nice.

"Now Sora -- I understand that you must already know a great deal about magic, and you don't need any further instruction."

"N--.."

"And that the fact that you have faced us all in the past means that you no longer have anything to learn from us..."

"N-No..!"

"And that means you may fall asleep or do whatever you like in our presence."

"No! Not.. I don't!" Wow. So this was where he was gonna die.

"Well, Sora... I agree with you."

_W-What?_

Saïx closed his eyes, and seemed to gather his thoughts. Sora took the moment to glance around the room in a panicked sort of way. Like a rat trapped in a...in a room with Saïx!

Yeah... there wasn't really anything to compare to being trapped in a room with Saïx. He might seem calm but underneath he was really rather insane, Sora knew.

Opening his eyes, Saïx looked over to Sora, who gulped audibly.

"You see, Sora... we lost to you. Overwhelmingly and unequivocally lost. Perhaps technically it wasn't us who was defeated by you. But... I remember. " Sora gawked openly at the other man. Was he crazy? Organization members didn't act like this.

"However --" Saïx held up his hand to stop the boy's arguments.

Sora held his tongue. Somehow he'd gotten to be the winning one… He wouldn't argue with that.

"However -- do not think that this means there is nothing worthwhile you can learn from us. Our knowledge didn't save us or accomplish our purpose. But it is still knowledge that much was sacrificed for and should be passed on. Sora... I beg of you.." Saïx bowed his head slightly towards shocked boy "Let us teach you. Since we were recreated, teaching you _is_ our purpose."

Whoa.

"Um... uh... sure?" What else was he supposed to say in this situation? The man he thought was totally gonna lay the smack down on him was standing here begging for his audience like he was some kind of king.

He still looked angry -- but Sora was starting to wonder if that wasn't just because that's what his face looked like. He sounded... sincere? Sora shook his head slightly. How was he to know? He wasn't really the expert on Organization XIII psyche that he might have wished he was at this moment.

Maybe they could offer a course in _that._

Saïx looked up to meet his eyes. "Thank you Sora. And know that I am here to help you. I know that some of my fellow teachers don't feel the same, now -- but I believe they will grow to understand..." He paused slightly "That.. we should be grateful to be alive."

Sora just stared blankly at him.

"I believe you have a friend waiting for you?"

Sora finally blinked. Nodding, he made his way out the door towards were Hayner was leaning against the wall, looking rather nonchalant. He almost expected Saïx to call to him again, but when he looked back he was at his desk seemingly immersed in whatever papers covered it. Turning to Hayner, Sora rubbed a hand through his hair, slightly embarrassed. How long had Hayner been waiting for him?

"Uh.. Sorry. Fell asleep in class."

Hayner nodded "So I heard. Man -- what a strange teacher. What was with all that 'we lost to you' stuff? Were you really fighting the teachers?"

Sora furrowed his brow. Hayner didn't know about Organization XIII. Was that something he could explain to him? He'd helped him out a lot back when he was trying to figure out how to fight them. So he supposed he could explain it. Where to start?

"Uh... I'll explain it later."

Hayner eyed him slightly. "Sure. No problem." He yawned, stretching his arms in the air as they began to walk down the hall "You know... at least you seem to have a teacher who knows what he's talking about. My "Introduction to Magic" teacher just whips out his guitar and plays like we're supposed to imitate him. And when we ask him a question he just covers his head with his hands and says 'I'm not cut out for this sort of thing!' I gotta wonder where they get these guys."

Sora held his tongue.

"So hey... is your break right now?"

"My... break?" Sora stared blankly at the other boy.

"Yeah, doofus. Your break. Since we only have four classes, we all get a break for a few hours between one of them. Kinda like a study period -- though only a few people actually use it for studying. When is yours?"

Sora thought for a moment. He didn't have his schedule in front of him at the moment, but his class with Axel yesterday hadn't started till later in the day. He hadn't even thought about the time difference.

"Yeah... I guess it is."

"Awesome." Hayner grinned over at him. "Lemme give you a tour of the town then. I know a few great places we can grab lunch."

"A few?" Sora smirked.

"Absolutely. We are growing boys after all!"

* * *

As they were exploring downtown Radiant Garden, Sora remembered -- at seeing some of the bookshops -- that he still didn't have any of his school supplies yet. Hayner gladly showed him the few places where he could get what he needed. And was impressed (and Sora surprised) to find that he had a permanent line of credit in the town that was sent directly to Disney Castle. Of course... it made sense. It's not like he had any money now... with the not killing Heartless and all. And he had saved the world. He guessed this was their way of recompensing him. He should handle his new line of credit with the wisdom and restraint befitting the Hero of Kingdom Hearts.

An hour later he and Hayner walked down the street laden with books and school supplies. As well as a new set of struggle bats, a bag of rock candy, and two hotdogs they had gotten. The vendor stand had been the third place to eat they'd hit while they were wandering around gathering up supplies (among other things). It was hard to eat now though when their arms were full of their... Sora's...purchases.

Hayner gritted his teeth together. "You know... we ought to find a place to set all this stuff down."

"Mah house es oo fa awah." Sora's mouth was full of the one bite he had managed to grab of his meal, between juggling all the books.

"Well I can't walk anymore." Hayner stopped near a bench and set down the bags he had. Sora pulled up beside him and, after a moment's pause, threw down the books he'd been carrying the whole time and started to devour the rest of his hotdog.

"Oh man..." Hayner leaned back on the bench. "That's a relief" He just sat for a moment and stretched out in the sun.

"Hey, Sora?"

"Mmmfffph.." Sora was still concentrating hard on finishing his meal. Ah, food was good!

"You know earlier how your teacher was acting so strange?"

"Mmfphh."

"And yesterday you mentioned something called Organization XIII..."

"Mmmmph..."

"You said you'd explain it. I don't wanna push you or anything -- but I'd sure like to know."

"Mmm..." Sora figured now was a good time to swallow. He finished the bite he was on and quickly polished off the bit of hotdog that he had left. He followed Hayner's example and leaned back against the bench, letting the warm sun wash over him and relieve the tension in his aching limbs.

"Well... would you believe me if I told you?"

"Heh..." Hayner smiled slightly "Try me."

Sora sighed. Where should he start? Somewhere Hayner was familiar with... "Well -- do you know that abandoned mansion? The one that connected Twilight Town with everything else?"

"Sure I remember. We were the ones who told you about it after all." he pointed out wryly. "Anyways... it's not so abandoned anymore. A lot of the people from here are over there now doing research... they were the ones who set up a way to connect our town with the others."

Sora nodded. "Yeah... well, there used to be a bunch of scientists set up in that building, and they studied people's hearts. Mainly the darkness in it. But they lost themselves to the darkness they were trying to study. Their hearts were taken... and they went bad. Then me, Donald and Goofy tried to stop them from trying to collect other hearts to try and continue their research." _Or replace their own_, he added silently.

Hayner looked startled. "Whoa... that's intense. What are they doing at the Academy??"

"Well... Leon.." Sora paused "...and probably some of the people at the mansion now, decided to recreate the members using memories. The real Organization is all dead... but their... memory clones teach at the Academy now." That was the short version of it anyways.

"Wow...so, they are the bad guys then, right?"

"They were..." Sora whispered. He was still uncertain about that. Most of them had tried to kill him as some point or another. Axel had sacrificed his life _for_ him. Sora was still trying to figure out the finer points of it all.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Sora prepared himself for a barrage of questions... he knew that explanation didn't exactly... well, explain anything. But Hayner just sat quietly and appeared to either be processing what he'd heard or his brain was working hard on erasing the information it had just received.

Finally, Hayner stood up and started to stretch. "Hey man... you and I both gotta get to class. You can explain more of this to me later, but we gotta find a place to dump your stuff..." He glanced back and forth, like a place to dump Sora's stuff would just appear out of one of the walls.

And maybe it would.

"Follow me. I think I know just the place..."

About ten minutes later they were standing in front of Merlin's house. Or Leon's house. Or "Leon's house with Merlin's stuff in it". Nah. Better just to keep calling it Merlin's house. Even by accident.

"Hey! Hey! Is anybody Hoooooome? HELLOOOOO!"

"Not so loud." Hayner, who had been standing right next to Sora, covered his ears. "If there is anyone home on this _block_, they'll be coming to their doors."

Sora banged on the door. He'd already tried the knob... but for the first time in a long time, Sora found the door to Merlin's house locked. He guessed Leon had learned from last time that he didn't want hooligans... like Sora... sneaking in while he was away.

"This sucks..." Sora tried to peer through the keyhole. It was too bad his keyblade couldn't open real doors. What a piece of crap.

"Hey -- why don't you just leave it here by the door?"

"What, out in the open like this? Hooligans could take it!" Hayner gave him a strange look at his choice of words, but "hooligans" was awfully fun to say.

"I don't think so. If I know anything about people, anyone would be afraid to take stuff sitting outside of a wizard's house, right? It could be booby trapped... or just something really disgusting."

"I guess..." Sora stared forlornly at his new struggle bats. Maybe if he stacked some of the books around them...

"Where else could we take 'em anyways?"

"Okay..." leaning over, Sora picked up a few books that he thought looked relevant to the classes he had and stuck them in his bag. He'd need them all eventually. But certainly not at one time! Carefully, he positioned the rest of the books and supplies up against the wall, the struggle bats hidden behind the stack.

"Alright. Let's go."

"It'll be ok. The kids'll be fine all alone for a few hours."

Sora winced. "I _know_." He didn't need a struggle bat just to beat Hayner. It simply gave the older boy a fair chance, Sora thought nastily.

"Don't worry."

"I'm _not_!"

* * *

When Sora got to Axel's class, there was a note on the door stating that it would not commence today because their instructor (so to speak) had been called away on "business". There would be a test tomorrow though on everything they'd gone over this week (Got it memorized?).

Sora sighed. The other students seemed fairly excited about being out of class. And so was he -- but, well, Hayner had already left for his own class and there was little left for Sora to do except wander around the campus. He wasn't even remotely worried about the test.

_There is no way Axel's gonna expect me to pass a test after just one day in class. Maybe I won't even have to do it..._

What was up with everyone on this campus disappearing all the time, anyways?? Yesterday it was the Administrator, then Leon... now Axel. What's the "important business" they all have to attend to?

_Maybe they're just playin' hooky. _

In retrospect though... not being in class right now might not have been such a bad thing. After such a large lunch Sora found himself...well... in need of some facilities.

And, one would think that on a campus this size, there would be bathrooms everywhere. On every street corner! Sora took back the last thought as being a bit gross... but the fact was, he didn't know where to find one. He'd tried a few rooms that looked promising, but found himself in a closet once, and stumbling into a classroom second. Thankfully a classroom not being taught by an Organization member he hadn't had to face down yet... that would have rendered his current quest moot.

He kicked himself mentally now for not asking that teacher where he could find the bathroom... but he'd just kinda stumbled backwards and mumbled apologies -- not expecting anyone to be in the room he'd entered. He couldn't quite bring himself to risk busting into another classroom to ask, either. He'd been embarrassed at school quite enough for two days, thank you. For a lifetime. Of course, with everyone in class... there always was the option of using the oh-so-elegantly positioned bushes around the perimeter of the building. That option was growing more and more temping.

Sora was just about to go outside and begin to scout the area when he saw a familiar face up ahead... Scarlet, the Administrator's secretary.

_Oh crap! I'm going to wet myself in front of the Administrator's Secretary!_

She was the first person Sora had actually seen walking down the hallway since he entered this building, but he didn't want to ask her where the bathrooms were. That is just a bad opening line. But he couldn't afford to make small talk.

_Just go for it, Sora. Better this than her catching you using the landscaping._

Sora was just about to call out to her when she disappeared behind a door. Ahhh! He could probably catch her if he ran fast enough. But not too fast.

Sora walked briskly over to the doorway, but as he approached it... he heard voices.

"Did anyone see you come in here?" A gruff... kinda of nasal voice asked. Sora snuck a little closer to try and get a better look.

"Of course not. I'm not some lumbering idiot -- like some impersonating janitors I could name."

"Ouch! That hurt Scarlet. Us janitors have feelings too, ya know... Gyahaha!" Sora peeked in and could barely make out the image of a short, fat very grizzly man dressed in a janitorial uniform that looked a bit too small for him.

"Well lucky for us this mission isn't about your _feelings_."

"Yeah... well... what is it about? You make me come all the way out here, squeeze into clothes too small for any normal person... and wander around scrubbing toilets!"

_Toilets?_ Sora shook his head. _Concentrate on the present, Sora!_

"Those clothes are big enough for three normal people. You're just overweight." Sora had never heard Scarlet sound quite so nasty before. She was always so nice the couple times she had talked to him... yesterday. Maybe she was having a bad day.

"Hmph... whatever. Tell me what we are doing here." The man crossed his arms (as best he could) and stared straight ahead, towards where Scarlet must have been standing. Sora strained to get closer but didn't want to risk being seen.

"This is about finding a new power source for Shin-ra."

"Gyahaha... Shin-ra! I haven't thought about that sorry group of losers in years. They kicked us out -- why are you worried about _them_?"

"I don't suppose you've had the greatest time of things since that happened, have you?"

"Gya...ha...ha..."

"Oh shut up with that annoying laugh, Heidegger. This could be the perfect opportunity for us to buy our way back into the Shin-ra company!"

"What do you mean?" the man named Heidegger scratched back of his leg with a foot.

"Do you remember when our world was swept away by darkness awhile ago?"

"Yeah. I'm not stupid enough to forget that." He clearly looked annoyed.

"Hmph... well, apparently it all had to do with a battle over harnessing the power of people's _hearts_."

"So?"

"So. Ever since the whole battle with that AVALANCHE group over lifestream happened, the President hasn't had nearly the power that he used to! If we could find an alternate power source, well -- don't you think the President would be... extremely grateful?"

Heidegger rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Grateful enough to let us come back to the company?"

"Exactly."

"Alright" He shrugged "I'm in. What's my job?"

"For now, just make yourself scarce." Scarce? Was she joking? Sora eyed the big man through the crack in the door.

"Sure. Easy." The man nodded sagely. His chin jiggled just a little bit.

"Keep an eye on things, and when I have a lead I need followed, I'll contact you."

"Hey -- I'm not you're personal servant."

"If you really want back into Shin-ra, Heidegger, you'll do as I say."

"Hmph..."

Sora decided it was time to sneak away. These two were too much. Really. He wanted to know what else they had planned but... as he was walking, he could hear the door start to creek open. Quickly, he dove around the corner of the hallway.

_Please don't come this way. _

And someone must have heard Sora's plea, because he could hear her footsteps echoing off into the opposite direction of where he lay in hiding. Peering around the corner, he could then see the man called Heidegger leave the room Sora had just been crouched outside of. He laboriously pulled a cart of cleaning supplies behind him and lugged them across the hall, and opened a door there. Sora could spy the tiled wall of what had to be a bathroom beyond.

_Yes!_

Heidegger pulled out a sign from his cart reading "Closed for Cleaning" and hung it on the door.

_No!_

Sora forlornly watched the big man enter the bathroom. How long could he just sit here? He crouched against the side of the wall and waited. He didn't want the man to see him if it could at all be helped.

Luckily for him, Heidegger was either just lazy, or not feeling particularly industrious about "scrubbing toilets" because he emerged from the bathroom just minutes later, his face screwed up in a grimace.

"Lousy...kids..." he muttered as he ripped the sign off the door and threw it down in his cart and began to wheel the whole thing down another hallway. Sora watched him go, and waited until the squeaking of the cart faded until he made a run for the door.

All in all, though -- he had learned a lot for one lost trip to the bathroom, and sneaking around outside of open doorways.

_De'ja'vu_. Maybe he should make a habit of it.

Nah.

* * *

The last few classes of the day almost seemed like routine compared to what happened that morning and the day before. It was weird how quickly a person can learn to adjust to constant assault.

Sora didn't talk to Hayner during class. It would have been kinda hard to even hear themselves over the sreaming and yelling of their teacher anyways. Larxene didn't seem angry though... Sora just figured she enjoyed yelling. Zoology with Xaldin wasn't as bad as yesterday either. Mostly because he didn't look at Sora at all. Someone must have said something to him. The Administrator, maybe? Or Scarlet?

Sora thought about what he'd heard earlier from Scarlet and the man Heidegger. Whoever he was, he was obviously a former associate of Scarlet's. He hadn't given any thought before as to what world she had come from. And who was Shin-ra? He'd never heard of them before. First the mysterious figure last night, and now this. Despite the fact Leon had said the campus was safer, the list of reasons to stay wasn't exactly stockpiling.

Gathering this things _quickly_, Sora left Xaldin's class. Alright... time to find Leon!

When he got back to Leon's house he found... nothing. As in _Nothing._

As in -- no pile of Sora's stuff!

He panicked a little at first, but then thought it would be prudent to step inside and take a look in Leon's house before running around and accusing people of being thieves.

This time the door was open, and Sora let himself in. The house was empty... but there was a small conspicuous note on a chair left in front of the entrance. Considering it was Leon's house, it probably was a note for Leon -- a private note -- a secret note from a lover. He should leave it alone.

The note read:

_Sora,_

_I assumed you would let yourself in again. I have already been  
__to your home and retrieved all of the things that you would need,  
__and explained the situation to your mother. She agreed that it  
__would be best for you to stay here for the time being. All your  
__things and... purchases... have been taken to your new  
__residence. Included is a map to where you need to go. We _

We?  
_  
are probably still there setting it up. Please come as soon  
__as possible._

_--Leon_

_P.S. Don't read other people's mail._

Sora made a face at the note. If he hadn't read it he wouldn't have known where to go! What an obnoxious guy.

Turning the note over, he found a map sketched on the back. Whatever room he was staying in it was back on the campus, in one of the buildings he hadn't been to before.

Well, at least with all this walking he'd learn his way around the city and the campus soon enough. Sora stuffed the note in his pocket and headed back the way he'd come. The map was surprisingly easy to follow, considering it had just been sketched down on the back of a note. He didn't get lost once, and soon found himself entering the building that was his new home. The map said his room was on the... negative 1st floor?? So... that meant there was a basement here. Sora looked around for stairs leading downwards. They had to be able to come up with a better name for underground floors than negative numbers. He found the stairs and began to descend, the hall below lit by electric lights. He wondered if all the other buildings had basements as well.

Sora turned the corner, and saw a door open, spilling more light into the hallway. Sure enough, the number on the door matched, and when he looked around the room, all of his things were placed inside (if a bit haphazardly). Entering, Sora took of his bag and set it down. It was a nice room. Big, too -- bigger than his own. The weird thing was though... that on closer inspection, Sora noticed that not everything in here belonged to him. And there were two beds. Why...?

Hearing footsteps, and the slight swish of fabric near the door, Sora turned around. Standing there, an arm leaned up against the doorframe, very nonchalant... was Axel.

Surprised, Sora waved his fingers nervously. "Hey Axel..."

Axel stepped forward, a slight smirk on his face.

"Hiya... roomie"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

It's getting to be that time of year.

(so tired)

Thank you everyone for all the reviews. They are very encouraging!

* * *

**Academy Heartless**

**Chapter 6**

"A-Axel!" Sora stumbled away, knees hitting against the side of the bed, causing him to fall backwards onto it.

Did he just say 'Hiya_ roomie_?'

"Careful there. Can't have you falling around running into things on my first day of watch." He walked over and held out a hand to Sora. "Anyway -- this is my half of the room."

Sora stared at Axel's outstretched extremity like he'd never seen a hand before. Then again it wasn't a hand was it? It was just a bunch of 1's and 0's. A hologram. A very solid hologram if the headlock he'd gotten from Axel on the first day of class was any indication. But still...

"It's not going to bite you" Axel sighed and reached to grab Sora's arm and pull him off the bed. Sora scooted backwards away from him.

"Uh, that's ok. I got it."

"Axel, please try to refrain from terrifying the boy any further." A soft but authoritative voice drifted over from the open door. Sora turned to see Zexion standing there, holding what looked to be a monitor of some kind. His reproving gaze rested on Axel.

"Aww, he's fine." Reaching down this time, he did manage to grab Sora (who was still huddled at one end of the bed) and pulled him up by the arm to land feet-first on the floor.

"Ow."

"See?" The red haired man crossed his hands over his chest, meeting Zexion's gaze with one of his own. It was either an extremely challenging look, or a very smug one. Sora wasn't sure and didn't think it even mattered, particularly in Axel's case.

"I wish you the best of luck and much patience with your new guest." Zexion glanced coolly in Sora's direction.

"Hey, I'm not just some guest. I live here!"

Zexion walked past without so much as glancing in the other teacher's direction. Instead he went over to a table near the bed Sora assumed was to be his. Since he'd been tossed so roughly off the one he was huddled against before.

"Sora, this is a device that will allow you to communicate with anyone on campus. There are several devices issued by the academy that allow you to do so -- and as long as the corresponding person has one -- you can talk with them." Leaning behind the monitor, the Administrator began connecting a few wires and various other plugs that Sora spied around the edge of the screen. "However, for security reasons, anyone who steps off the campus is no longer in your range. The only station able to do that is in my office."

"Yeah, Zexy likes things exclusive that way."

"It was a decision made by Leon and other members of the Restoration Committee. Though they are in charge of many other things now. It was his decision also, to make you the ward of this somewhat remiss man you have."

"W-what do you mean ward?" Sora was still feeling a little out of sorts about this whole situation. What had it been? Five minutes since Axel had walked in and started spouting things about them being roommates and acting generally crazy. Oh -- then again maybe that was Axel all the time. Except the roommates part.

"You didn't explain the situation to him?" Zexion glanced over at the other man with a bored, yet somewhat expectant expression on his face. Sora had a feeling that he probably wore that expression a lot around Axel.

"Ah... tsk. How _remiss_ of me."

"Then please, don't allow me to interrupt you any longer." Zexion bowed his head slightly in Axel's direction, then in Sora's own. Sora had the absurd urge to get on his knees and beg him not to go. Absurd because he was a former Nobody too...and potentially just as dangerous as Axel. But at least he hadn't tried pulling Sora's arm out of its socket lately.

The blue haired ex-Nobody however, nodded again in both their directions, and made his way out the door and down the hallway -- leaving just Sora and Axel alone in the room once again. Sora wondered vaguely that, if they were holograms, why couldn't they just disappear and reappear elsewhere on the campus? It would be way more convenient, Sora was sure. If he could ever get that ring to work maybe he could turn it into a list of suggestions for the management.

"So, uh... what's going on?" Sora mumbled. Too bad his brain didn't work better at the moment. Maybe he could phrase questions to sound more serious. So -- what's going on? How's the weather? Do anything crazy lately? Oh -- wait, I bet that's a hard one for you to avoid. Ha ha.

"I told ya -- I'm keeping an eye one you. Like the stiff said, Leon asked me -- and from what I hear you could use an extra eye to two."

"Why would Leon ask _you_?"

Axel opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Leon himself striding into the room, large trunk hefted over one shoulder. He set it down with a _thump_, and groaned.

"Well, speak of the Devil -- here to make all hidden things known." Axel smirked.

Leon glanced darkly at him, before turning his attention back to Sora. "That's the last of your things, Sora. At least all that we thought you'd need."

Sora stared down at the box Leon had just brought along with several others that were scattered on the floor. He thought wistfully about his collection of action figures that probably hadn't made the cut of 'things he would need at school' and sighed softly. Leon cleared his throat.

"Oh, uh -- Did you have to carry all this by yourself? I could have helped..." though, on the whole, he wasn't terribly disappointed.

Leon waved his hand dismissively "It wasn't too bad."

Axel snorted with amusement, causing an annoyed look to flicker across the other man's face.

"Axel helped carry most of it in from the edge of the property to here. Until this last time."

"Hey" Axel raised his arms defensively. "The kid showed up. Thought he better have a proper welcome." Sora didn't think that an Organization member sneaking up on him and shouting 'Hey -- we're roommates!' really counted as a proper welcome, but again, maybe that was just Axel for you.

"Anyway" he continued "I was just about to tell him why the setup when you walked in."

Leon studied Sora for a moment, then began to lead him out into the hall "Come on, Sora -- let me explain things to you."

"It's not like I haven't heard all this before." Axel remarked, a note of exasperation in his voice.

"I didn't want our conversation to interrupt your work" Leon glanced pointedly to the unopened trunk on the floor.

Axel glanced at the trunk and other boxes around him, sighing. He kneeled and proceeded to open the nearest. "No rest for a Nobody. Even if I am retired..."

Shaking his head, Leon pulled Sora out into the hallway, a few feet away from the door. It was nice to have company outside of Axel again so soon. Sora was relieved to see Leon. Though, from the look of things, he seemed to be in a hurry and would probably leave them again in just a few minutes. Sora sighed.

"Now listen Sora. I know this might be uncomfortable for you, but even though your safer here than home, I wanted you to have someone near that I could trust to look out for you."

Sora blinked slowly. "You trust Axel?"

"Trust _me _when I say that none of the teachers will harm you in any way. They are loyal to the Academy and to all of us. However, they've been around a long time and are very savvy. I wouldn't put much faith in any of them not having their own interests at heart. But with Axel, well, we know that he died to save you, and you've also told us that he and Roxas were best friends. I think based on those things, we can assume he'll act in _your_ best interests." He paused for a moment. "Though Sora, you don't have to trust him completelyIn fact, I'd recommend not."

"I can hear you." a voice called from the open room.

Another annoyed look crossed Leon's face. "You shouldn't trust anyone, Sora. Just be as cautious as you can."

Sora nodded. Cautious. He could be cautious. "Can I trust _you_?"

Leon looked taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. "You can trust me."

"But you just said..."

"Well, I have to go, now. If you need anything you know where I stay, and if for some reason I'm not there just leave a note and I'll get it." He turned, but hesitated "And Sora. Just remember that Axel is watching out for you. And you... watch out for Axel." His eyes bored into Sora's, like he was trying to convey a hidden meaning in his words.

_Yeah, don't trust Axel. I get it._ Sora nodded. Leon studied his face, until he was satisfied that he understood.

_I'm not an idiot._ Sora felt a little disgruntled. I mean -- there is a difference between being friendly and trusting and being gullible. There was no way that people thought he was gullible.

"Oh, and if you want to write any letters to your mom or Riku and Kairi just bring them to my house as well and I'll make sure they are delivered." Leon held up his hand in farewell as he walked away, and soon disappeared around the corner.

Sora turned back to his new half of a room and took a deep breath. _Just me and Axel now. Axel and me..._

Sora poked his head around the corner, and waved his fingers. "Uh hi...r-roomie." That lacked a little of the finesse that Axel's initial entrance did, but at least he got a little of his own back. Yeah.

"Heh -- say, why don't you come in here and get some of your things out of these boxes? I'm tired of putting your underwear away."

Blushing, Sora came over to the box Axel was currently working on. It was full of his clothes, neatly folded -- underwear and all. Probably his mom's doing. He hoped.

"I can do it." Sora pulled the box away from Axel, who shrugged noncommittally.

"Doesn't matter to me. They're clean right?" Axel swung himself down onto the bed. On 'his' side of the room. "anyway... it's almost nice not having to worry about clothes anymore."

"What do you mean not having to worry about clothes?" Sora eyed him warily. If Axel had any weird "liberal" home habits, he didn't really want to know... or find out.

"Well... you know, we're holograms and all. So are our clothes. Practically anything we could choose to wear is at our disposal. Though, Organization robes or anything like them are conspicuously absent from the databases."

"You checked on it?"

"Eh, it was my first instinct when I was told to pick out something to wear. For years you keep a closet full of black cloaks, and your fashion sense goes right down the toilet." he picked absently at the cuff of his shirt.

"Oh." Sora felt like he should offer his condolences about it. But it seemed a strange thing to be apologizing over. Axel -- sorry your best friend melted into oblivion. Axel -- sorry the only people your close to might just as soon see you dead. Axel -- sorry you can't wear black cloaks. He shook his head.

"But they allow us a decent amount of freedom, limited to the campus of course." He sighed.

"Yeah..." They were both silent for awhile. Sora busied himself putting away clothes and other things from the boxes Leon had brought. Axel busied himself staring morosely up at the ceiling. After everything was put away, Sora readied himself to go to sleep and climbed into bed. He sat there for a few moments, considering. Axel was going to be his roommate for at least the next little while it seemed -- and even though Sora had fought him, and fought beside him -- he still felt a little odd making conversation with him.

Only one solution for that, really. Practice.

"So Axel. Are you and the Admi...Zexion, friends?"

"Ha! Friends. Whatever in our bickering made you think that, kid?"

"Well..." Sora frowned thoughtfully "It was the bickering, actually. You argue, but it's like you don't mean it. It reminds me of how me and Riku are sometimes. We can fight and stuff, but only cause we know that neither of us really hates the other." Sora chewed on his lower lip. Had he said too much? He didn't really know about Axel and Zexion's past. Maybe they did hate each other. He swallowed. Thinking about Riku made him start to worry again. About what he would be doing, and where he would be going... searching for the person who had followed Sora yesterday.

"Friends, huh?" Sora shifted his attention back to the man laying on the other bed, and he looked rather pensive. "Heh... maybe. I dunno. Can a Nobody have a friend? I thought Roxas was my friend..."

"He was." Sora felt he could put that one out there safely.

Axel smiled "But talking with Zexion is different than being around Roxas, or you for that matter... you know, I was the one responsible for his death as a Nobody. When you and Riku were in Castle Oblivion -- he wasn't the only Organization member I killed. He _must _hate me."

"Maybe he doesn't." Sora chewed harder on his lip. He hadn't known all that -- maybe he had spoken too soon.

"Who knows? Zex keeps a lot of things to himself." he waved his hand dismissively "But he was the one who found the rest of us. After the people here brought him back. He 'sniffed' out our memories -- whatever that means. Found mine first. Heh. Said it was because I was such a hothead, my memories stood out the most passionately."

"Well... he could have chosen not to bring your memories back at all."

"True." Axel smirked "You know I wonder how much of us are really our experiences. I mean -- I have these memories, but I'm not actually the person who gathered them. That person disintegrated when he fought a band of nobodies off some stranded kid and was too stupid to conserve any strength to hold himself together in the end."

"I don't believe that." Sora replied softly. You can have memories. But the person who would defy the only existence he knew to save some stranded 'kid', and even knowing the outcome of that, be willing to look after him -- again, here and now. That was all Axel.

"No?" The red haired man chucked softly. "You know why I'm teaching Botany?"

"Um..." Because '_How to Maim with Twirling Circles and Fire'_ wasn't being offered this semester? "Because they thought you would be the best for the job?"

"Ha. yeah right. We both know I can't even pronounce the names of all those plants. Actually, that class would be more suited to Saïx, or Vexen. But I asked them to let me, because I knew it was something Axel, the real Axel, wouldn't be able to stand. I figured that if I taught it, and liked it... it would prove that I really was my own person, you know? Not just a memory."

He lapsed into silence again, and Sora didn't know quite what to say. After a few moments, he turned off the lamp by the bedside, leaving the room in darkness. Sora just leaned back against the pillows, listening to his own even breathing for a moment.

"Um... Axel?" Sora held his breath.

"Yeah kid?"

"Do you? Like Botany that is?"

A few moments passed, and Sora thought maybe he wasn't going to answer, or had fallen asleep. But then he heard him sigh, and chuckle softly.

"Heh. Can't stand it. Now goodnight kid. Go to sleep."

"Goodnight, Axel."

* * *

Sora awoke to an earthquake, his bed trembling underneath him. Blinking sleep form his eyes, Sora realized that Azel had been shaking his bed. He groaned in protest, turning away from the man standing over him.

"Hey don't blame me. Blame that evil Organization that made it too dangerous for you to leave campus. Hah. I'm your teacher here. Have to make sure that you get to class on time -- and I'm off to mine. Teacher's early work and all. Make sure you get up and going so I don't have to face letting the other teachers kill you. Ciao!" Sora watched as he practically hopped out of the room.

_Well, he seems in good spirits._ Sora squeezed his eyes together, avoiding the lamp light shining into his face as much as possible. He was so used to having a bedroom with windows that living in a basement was weird. There was no way to even tell what time of day it was outside. And right now, he felt like it was still time to be sleeping.

Snuggling back under his blanket, Sora prepared to catch another five minutes of sleep, tops. Then suddenly, eyes wide, he remembered something he forgot to tell Leon last night. Scarlet and that other guy had plans of trying to use the power of hearts, too. Scarlet... the nice and pretty secretary who helped him out his first day here was going to try to do exactly what the Organization had done with hearts before. Except this time it was for some company named Shin-ra. And Sora knew that if they asked about it among the teachers they'd probably get some of the answers they wanted. What was it Leon had said? Don't trust the teachers not to have their own interests at heart. And if they were still the same people, then their interests still had to rest with harnessing the hearts power, didn't it?

Throwing on his shoes and quickly washing up, Sora grabbed his things and headed out the door. After making it up the stairs, a wash of fatigue started to settle over him again. He glanced at the windows of the building and saw that dawn was just barely breaking. He probably had another good hour before he had to be to class. Plenty of time to see Leon and get breakfast.

At that thought Sora stopped in his tracks, and realized he didn't know where to get breakfast around here. Did enough people stay here that they had a cafeteria of some kind? Did Organization teacher holograms even eat?

Sora continued out the door, and figured that if he were going to Leon's house he could probably get something in town. Though, he doubted he was supposed to be going off campus alone. That's where he'd been almost attacked before, anyway. Not at home.

Oh, well. He shrugged and kept walking. Leon told him to come by if he needed anything, and Sora believed this qualified. He needed help, and he needed breakfast. Two very big needs.

Though as he made his way to Leon's he wondered how worried he should be about Scarlet and large-imposter-janitor-man. It was a big thing they were talking about doing... but just the two of them? When it came down to harnessing the darkness in people's hearts (seeing a group like Organization XIII pull that off so menacingly) Sora found it hard to take these other two hooligans seriously.

But either way -- Leon had to know -- if only to get Scarlet and this guy away from the school and back to wherever they came from. Scarlet was the Administrator's secretary, so she might be spying on him, or -- hey, what if Zexion was part of it, too?

Sora didn't really have time to think on this as Leon's house came into view. Sora peered in the window to see if anyone was home before meandering his way over to the door and knocking rather loudly. He flinched and glanced around. It was early and most of the city was still asleep. And apparently so was Leon. But he really needed to talk with him.

Reaching down, Sora gave a tug on the doorknob. Locked. He sighed, reaching into his pocket -- and pulled out a couple of paperclips. He figured Leon would forget to leave the door unlocked for him. In case he needed anything.

_Man, Leon is lucky that I thought to bring these. _

Sora bent down and went to work on the lock to the door. It was a trick he'd learned from Riku when they'd raided one of the girls houses one night. Ah, that brought back memories. It was kinda tricky opening a lock with just some little strands of metal but it had worked well enough for Riku. It wasn't going quite as smoothly for Sora -- but after a minute he heard a light _click_ signifying that the way was now open.

Sora glanced around again, making sure there weren't any curious bystanders -- they might get the wrong impression. Reaching for the knob again, Sora let himself in.

"Leon?"

He peered around the corner of the entrance, scanning the room for any signs of life. The room was clear -- no Leon, no nothing. Even the papers that had littered the desk and table last time Sora came here were cleared away. Where in the world did he go?

Sora sauntered over to the table, and even though most of the papers were gone, a few pages of blank stationary were still scattered around.

_Well he told me to leave him a message if I couldn't find him._

Sora picked up one of the pieces of paper, and scrounged around until he found something to write with. Chewing on his lip thoughtfully, he scratched out a quick note

_**Leon --**_

_**I spied on Scarlet (the Administrator's secretary) and found out that she and some guy ...**_

Sora struggled to remember his name. It was something weird, like Hide-Digger...no, that wasn't it... oh yeah.

_**named Heidegger are trying to figure out how the Organization got power from the darkness in hearts for some guy named Shin-ra. She is CRAZY. Please help!**_

_**Sincerely,  
Sora**_

Sora folded up the note and scribbled Leon's name on the outside of it. Spying the chair where he'd found the note Leon had left for him yesterday he walked over and placed the paper on it. Leon was bound to see it there. He would be back soon, right?

In any case -- he sighed, leaving the house and closing the door -- he couldn't think of anywhere else to take it.

_Or anyone else to tell about this. Why is everybody gone?_

He thought briefly about Riku, but knew to get in touch with him he'd have to leave a letter with Leon same as if he wanted to contact Leon himself. There wasn't really an alternative to waiting at the moment.

Sora wandered back onto one of the main streets, and groaned as he smelled some of the wares of the early-morning vendors drift his way. His stomach growled loudly and Sora let it lead him to one of the nearest carts.

After testing a little from each of the carts, and a roll one of the stores that had just put out a rack of fresh bread, Sora decided he really didn't have time for breakfast. Class would be starting and he probably had just enough time to take it easy getting back to the campus.

He arrived in time to duck through the door to Saïx's class right as the bell rang. He didn't see Hayner in the hallway-- though he must have already been in his classroom by now.

Sitting down, Sora prepared his glassy-eyed stare for the coming lecture. Judging from what he'd heard yesterday, it was all stuff he knew already -- and they were going at a slower pace then he had. Yeah, hands-on learning was way more effective in these situations. He thought it would be a great idea to just throw everyone in a room with a staff or a few ingredients and let them duke it out. That would probably be a quicker way to learn... not to mention way more fun.

Several times during the lecture, Saïx would meet his eyes and give him what Sora was sure was supposed to be a reassuring smile. He remembered all of Saïx's talk yesterday about humbling agreeing that Sora and his friends had triumphed, and now his sole purpose was to pass on the knowledge he had gained throughout his long life and studies. Sora didn't believe it for a moment.

Leon told him not to trust anybody. And, well... he did trust Axel. Kind of. Not completely. But a little. Or a lot, really. Maybe completely. He did save Sora's life after all.

That didn't mean he was about to start trusting this guy. Saïx had been the one to kidnap Kairi -- and had been Xemnas's second, Sora was sure. If there was one person who was a prime for having his own interests, it was sure to be him.

_See? I'm not gullible at all._

He had to be thinking about what he could do to prepare any defenses of his own in case something should happen. He turned his gaze down to the desk and to his hand, where he still wore the ring that had come in the package with the rest of his school supplies.

_It will turn the keyblade into anything I want..._

Except he still didn't know how to use it. All of his attempts had failed, and he was obviously missing something important. If he could figure out how to make it work, it would definitely be a plus to him if it came to fighting another War Against Evil. He needed more information. And he knew just who to ask.

You didn't have to trust somebody, to get answers from them.

* * *

Sora wandered outside the classroom after dismissal, where Hayner waited.

"Hey there." Hayner saluted Sora across the hall.

"Hey" Sora sauntered over to where Hayner stood proped up against the wall.

"How was the first night in The Academy?"

"Not bad. But you'll never believe this... _Axel_ is my roommate."

"Axel? As in Professor Axel?"

"Yeah."

Hayner rubbed his chin thoughtfully "Why did they give you a roommate? This campus is so large they must have at least a dozen rooms in each building that are empty."

That had been exactly what Sora had been thinking the other night. Despite the size of the school, it was still devoid of the number of students you would think could inhabit a campus of this size. And most of them didn't seem to live here, from what he could tell.

"They said he was supposed to look after me."

"Look after you? Couldn't he have done that from a couple doors down or something?"

Sora shrugged. He'd already been adjusting himself to the idea of having a roommate... adjusting himself to having _Axel_ as a roommate. To him it seemed better than being all alone in the dark basement level floor, anyway.

"Listen, I have a few things I have to take care of, so I'll catch up with you later, ok?"

Hayner nodded. "Fine -- I was going to use this time to catch up on a few studies anyway. See you in Auntie's class." He gave Sora a firm punch in the arm.

"Ow." Sora watched as Hayner waved and walked away, disappearing around the far corner of the hall.

Leaving the building, Sora headed across campus -- until he came face to face with the main building that he'd spent so much time in the first day of class. He entered and quickly went up to the second floor, until he came to the double doors that read "Administrator's Office". They were still just as dark and intimidating as they had been a few days ago, when Sora had come and made faces in them. He was tempted to do so again, but there were more important things to worry about now.

Opening the door, Sora peered in and saw Scarlet sitting at her desk. He took a deep breath -- he knew what she was up to, but SHE didn't know that he knew. So that made him safe. For now. He opened the door further and slipped in. Scarlet looked up at him and smiled warmly. Sora blushed like he had the first day he'd been in there.

"Well hello, Sora -- what can I do for you?"

She didn't look like a psychopath when she was being this nice.

"I needed to talk to the Administrator."

She smiled again and stood up, Sora gulped and loosened his collar with a finger. Maybe he was more nervous about her figuring out he knew about her than he thought.

"Alright -- let me just tell him that you're here." She walked over to the door and knocked softly before opening it to peer in. He heard her tell whoever was in the room...he assumed it was Zexion... that he was here. He couldn't make out the reply as muffled as it was by the heavy wood but Scarlet gestured for him to come over and opened the door fully for him. Entering the office, he could see Zexion seated at the far end of the room behind the desk. He heard the door shut behind him as Scarlet left, but kept his attention on the Administrator, who was gesturing for him to sit.

"Sora... what brings you to my office?"

"Well... Sir. Do you recognize this?" Sora crossed the room and sat in the chair, holding out his hand with the engraved ring attached. Zexion peered at it and furrowed his brow slightly.

"Yes. We worked with the Restoration Committee to create that. Along with Tron."

"Oh really?" Sora gawked at the ring on his hand. He figured Zexion would know something about it simply because he was in charge of the school, but Leon hadn't mentioned that they'd worked with the Organization members as well as Tron to make it. Sora wondered why. "Well then... can you teach me how to use it?"

"Leon has not?"

"Well..." Sora scratched his head "He uh... kinda told me how it worked, but when I tried I couldn't get it to do anything. My keyblade just appeared each time."

"I see." Zexion closed his eyes for a moment, brow still furrowed.

Sora cursed himself silently. He must think he was a first-class idiot. Granted -- he had tried it out a few times with no success, but he supposed he should have tried since then to get it working. Truth was, he'd kinda forgotten about it up til now.

"Well, I don't know exactly what Leon told you about how it worked, but there is a trick to it."

Ha. He knew it -- obviously if it hadn't worked there was something that Leon had forgot to mention. It was good for him that he thought to come here. Sora nodded -- mostly to himself, and Zexion continued:

"When you tried to use the ring before, what did you do?"

Sora furrowed his brow. He'd been awfully sleepy when he'd tried using the ring before. What was it exactly he had done?

"I just tried picturing what I wanted in my mind when I summoned the keyblade."

"What was it that you tried to summon?" Zexion studied him quietly from across the table. Sora mumbled his answer quickly under his breath.

"I'm sorry... you tried to summon a what?"

"A hot dog." Sora sighed. It was kinda ridiculous, now that he thought about it. Actually, it seemed ridiculous to him when he'd done it initially. But it was a rough day and he'd been tired and hungry!

"I... I see." Sora could have sworn Zexion was laughing at him -- but his folded hands covered the bottom half of his face as he leaned into them and coughed slightly.

"But that wasn't all! I tried a few things -- a few other weapons and stuff. I wanted to, uh... diversify my attempts!" Zexion was silent for a moment, seeming to weigh what he said.

"Well, the first thing you must do Sora, is know thoroughly what it is you want your keyblade to become. The keyblade has some sentience -- it chooses its owner. But it needs an owner with a strong heart. And clear intentions."

Sentient? Sora pondered the thought. As in alive? No way -- it was just a sword. He'd been beating up things with it and throwing it around for awhile now. It had never complained or tried to take over his body. Any self-respecting sentient weapon would have already done that, right?

"What do you mean by intentions?"

Zexion paused, then asked "Do you know what a hotdog is made of? Of the different components that make it up? And how?"

Sora started. _Nobody does_, he almost retorted. How did this have anything to do with changing his weapon? He stared unblinkingly at Zexion.

Furrowing his brow, Zexion continued "Because if you don't know what it is that creates the object you are trying to summon -- than neither does the Keyblade. One of the main powers of the ring is to open a way for you speak to the Keyblade. Instead of just telling it to _come_ -- you can tell it _how_ to come."

Sora rubbed his temples after that pronouncement. This was going to be a very confusing process.

"Would you like to try it? With something simpler, perhaps."

Glancing down at the ring in his hand, Sora studied it for a moment. What did he know about what things made up certain objects?

"You can try just altering the shape of your blade, instead of its internal structure. Picture it clearly."

Sora concentrated again on the ring. He got far enough again that he felt like he was connected a little with his keyblade... then he thought:

_Sword. Become just a regular sword._

For a moment nothing happened. Then the keyblade appeared in his hand. It looked perhaps... a little different. But it could have just been Sora's imagination. He sighed, his shoulders slumping in a defeat.

"Well. That isn't unexpected. You just need practice." Zexion stated patiently. He strummed his fingers on the desk for a moment, considering. "I have faith that you can discover the way to speak with your keyblade properly, Sora. But you must be the one to find it. The keyblade is summoned with the light and strength in your heart and... I have no authority on that subject."

_I have no heart._

The unspoken words stood between them, and Sora could hear them as if they'd been said aloud.

That was a somewhat depressing way to end a conversation. He pondered for a moment. If Zexion really didn't have a heart, then why did he bring Axel back, even knowing that he'd been the one who ended his time in the Organization? That seemed like a selfless thing to do.

_Maybe you need a heart to care either way about things like that._

"Hey, uh... Zexion. How do you feel -- about Axel?"

The man on the other side of the desk blinked at him before clearing his throat cautiously. "Axel? Why...do you ask about him?"

"Well, we were talking the other night and he said that you were the one that found his memories and everyone else's, so you basically brought them all back to life. But he also said that he had killed you when you were in Castle Oblivion which is probably why I never met you, and he figured you hated him for it and you couldn't be friends. Oh -- and he said that because I asked him if you were friends because you fight kinda like me and Riku fight. I was also thinking about you all being heartless and everything and thought that maybe because you brought Axel back even though he killed you before that meant that maybe you were, well... not so bad..." Sora trailed off. Perhaps he'd been babbling a little.

Or, maybe he'd been babbling a lot, judging by the look on Zexion's face.

The Administrator was silent for a few moments. Sora didn't think he was the type of guy who was at a loss for words very often.

"Axel wasn't exactly the one who killed me. It was..." He paused, an odd look on his face. "well, the details are unimportant. Suffice it to say I don't hold it against him. I understand well the need to take moves that will further one's agenda. Even if those actions are against one's moral code. Though, from what I've heard, I don't believe Axel has ever had any qualms about betraying the Organization. In fact, he's seemed to make somewhat a habit of it." If Sora expected him to sound bitter in some way about it, he would have been disappointed. The only emotion the Nobody displayed was a slight smirk of amusement, mostly hidden by the long blue section of bangs that covered one half his face.

"Axel has a bit of an internal struggle, at times." He continued, "But he's a fine fighter. And if he has an inclination towards your side... well... that's what the Committee wanted from the start."

He fell silent again and Sora had the feeling that he probably wouldn't be likely to say much more. Axel's a good fighter though, huh? That was true, sure, but he thought they were just after teachers.

Sora thought about it a moment and shrugged. He could just add it to his long repertory of things to contemplate. And that list was plenty long right now.

"Uh... well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks -- for the help and all. I'll let you know how things go." He held up his hand and tapped the ring lightly.

"Certainly. And Sora..." He pulled back his chair slightly, leaning down to retrieve a large sheet of paper and pen from a bottom drawer "Let me recommend some reading material that will help you get started on learning how to change your keyblade." He began writing quickly on the long sheet. Sora's spirits fell a little as he filled almost half the page before handing it over. Zexion peered through his bangs at Sora as he leaned forward to take the page. His gaze was fixed pointedly at him. "I do suggest you take the time to read all of these."

"Oh, ok. Thanks." Sora glanced over the page, not reading any of the titles, but feeling forlorn. That was a lot of books. _Thanks a lot for the present, Leon_. He thought bitterly.

"You are welcome." The Administrator inclined his head slightly.

"Well, um... bye." Sora waved a little as he left the office, quickly shutting the door behind him. Maybe not the most graceful way to exit, but shaking hands seemed inappropriate. Bow, maybe.

As it turned out, Scarlet had left the office on some errand (hmph...plot) or another. Sora was relieved -- the less he saw of her right now the better. He just had this itching feeling that she was going to find out that he knew about her and Heidegger. And he didn't want a confrontation until he knew he had someone backing him up.

Sora wandered around a bit until it was time for Axel's class. It was kinda a relief to finally see someone he didn't completely mistrust. Maybe he should tell him the good news about Zexion not hating him, only that he was slightly amused at his perpetual Organization-betrayal and mood-based loyalty changes.

"Hey Axel."

"Heya, kid. Ready for the big test?" Axel gave him a thumbs-up sign from behind his desk, a thick stack of papers facing him.

Maybe not.

"Uh -- test?"

"It was mentioned on the memo I left on the door yesterday, when I was out talking to Leon about moving all of your stuff to my room. Remember?" Axel tapped a finger against his temple, and looked expectantly at Sora, who didn't reply. "Ah... well, it's not too bad. Even if you've been paying a little attention over the past few days you shouldn't have a problem."

"Oh... ok." Sora loafed over to his seat at the end of the room.

_Crap._

Mysterious figures. Secret plots. Weird roommates with tests. Could it possibly get any stranger around here?

Leon -- where _are_ you?


	7. Chapter 7

Here is chapter 7. Sorry its taken so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

But I have heard that overall the English dub of KH is regarded as better than the original Japanese.

So we totally owned that! Take that, Japan!

* * *

**Academy Heartless**

Chapter 7

Sora loped down the long hallway. He walked slowly, not in a terrible hurry to reach his destination. After he'd left Axel's class, a note had arrived for him delivered by one of the other students, saying that Scarlet wanted to see him in the Administrator's office after class (at his convenience). He was still trying to recover from the turmoil he'd experienced taking the test he hadn't studied for when it came.

Despite that test, which (to an outsider) would suggest that Sora should know quite a bit about plants now -- Axel's class was just about as enlightening as it had been the past two days. That was, not at all. It made Sora wonder once again why the Nobodies were even teaching classes. If it really was to pass on their hard-earned knowledge... then why weren't they? The stuff Sora had learned so far could have been taught by a 4-year-old. Or Axel.

Thinking of Axel -- he also thought back to the moment he was leaving class, when the Nobody-teacher once again threw him the big thumbs-up sign. It was nice that he apparently wished him luck and all, but was this going to be some strange kind of after-class ritual? Sora had felt himself giving a nice little wave in return and backed his way out of the classroom. The two of them had moved in together last night. He was supposed to be Axel's "ward". Did that mean the teacher would be checking on him throughout the day, or would he just be keeping him company during all 'non-school' hours? Having Axel as a roommate wasn't proving to be so bad, but Sora wondered how much freedom he really had now. In that respect maybe he and Axel were more suited to live together than he'd first thought.

His other classes had been more tolerable since the first day. Larxene's -- or, as Hayner had informed him 'Auntie's' -- class still consisted of a lot of running by the students and yelling by her, but at least it was reliable in its way. Sora still sweat it out a bit during Xaldin's class, though the teacher had been avoiding his gaze completely instead of intently staring him down. That was an improvement, at least. One that he wasn't going to complain about. He wondered if anyone (the Administrator, maybe?) had spoken to him about his behavior towards Sora. Well... he wouldn't worry about it. And he certainly wasn't going to regret missing class this afternoon, even if it did mean facing Scarlet.

Sora fingered the note in his hand, his expression strained. She said that he needed to come by and speak about some instructions Leon had left for him. From the sound of that, it seemed as though Leon had gone -- again. And if he had to leave instructions with Scarlet, he might not be planning on coming back soon. It would explain the near empty house Sora had visited this morning. And he probably hadn't received the note that Sora left for him.

Sora's expression darkened, and he realized he would have to go pick up that note soon, before someone else did.

He neared the doors of the building of the Administrator's office. The upside to having all these interruptions in class, was that he was starting to realize that he had somewhat of an immunity when it came to class absence. Sure some of the teachers had threatened him, but none had actually gone farther than that. And being on this campus all day and night was like a permanent detention, anyways. What else could they do to him, really? If what Leon said was true about the Nobody teachers not harming him.

Then again, maybe it wasn't an issue he should push.

Sora reached the top of the stairs, then approached the doors of the office. He turned slightly, putting his shoulder and arm against the heavy oak door and shoved it open in one fluid movement.

Might as well get this over with.

Scarlet sat behind her desk, where she always was the times that Sora had come to visit the office, except when she was out plotting to do something dumb like trying to rule the world with heart-fuel. That was a one-way (Thirteen way?) ticket to heartlessville. If she'd done any research at _all,_ it seemed to Sora that she would know you couldn't get that heart energy without giving up your own. From what he'd heard it didn't seem like she was quite that devoted to the cause. Sora shook his head slightly.

_I can't be thinking about that or I'm gonna say something that she'll catch onto!_

Hearing the door shut, Scarlet looked up and smiled when she saw him. Sora squashed the immediate urge to point his finger and shout...

"I know what you're up to."

Yeah, that.

Wait... what??

"Erm... uh...whatdaya mean?" Sora could only stare, like a hyena caught in headlights. Or was that a deer? Oh, dear...

"You think that if you have any excuse to come over to the office, it means you can skip out on your teachers. I believe your note said to come _after_ classes, at your convenience." She gave Sora a pointed look over the desk.

"Oh, uh..." Sora fumbled with the note in his hand, trying to gain another quick look at it. He hadn't been so eager to come here that he'd misunderstood the note, had he? Surely not.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter -- as long as you're here." She smiled again at him. But to Sora, it seemed to be lacking some of the warmth that he had noticed before. In fact, it seemed a bit thin and hard. Almost like she was baring her teeth instead of smiling. No way -- he was thinking too hard about all this. It was his imagination acting up again, telling him things. Bad things.

_Just my imagination._

"Sora -- I need to tell you about some of the instructions Leon left with me, but they are rather sensitive. He told you he was doing some type of investigation, right? If you'll follow me down the hall into one of the classrooms -- we can speak a little more privately. The Administrator is busy on important call, or else we'd go in there." She smiled again.

"Oh... ok." Speak more privately? Just over Leon's instructions? Was he such a paranoid kinda guy he would tell her to go to these lengths to make sure what he said was to only to Sora?

He wasn't sure he believed her. She stood, circling the desk and guiding him towards the doorway.

He didn't want to go into another room alone with her. What if she got him cornered and made him confess to all sorts of things that he knew. Like how he saw her with Heidegger in the hallway, and how in third grade he'd once shot a spitball at his teacher and gotten it blamed on Kairi, and how he once sent flowers to Leon and made him think they were from Yuffie.

Well, that last one wasn't true... but Sora had thought about doing it once -- and would have confessed to it and other things that had never happened. He was so nervous he was almost ready to say any number of things to get out of talking to Scarlet alone, under the present circumstances. But when he hesitated, she tugged his sleeve -- urging him along.

He knew he had no choice.

Scarlet shut the door to the office behind her, and holding Sora's arm, stalked down the hallway towards a classroom at the far end. It looked empty and dark and Sora doubted it had ever been used at all. She pushed him gently through and flicked the light on and walked over to an antique-looking desk in the corner.

He jumped when the door clicked shut behind him, and almost dove flat onto the ground when he heard the loud scratching of a drawer being opened. Scarlet pulled a large sheaf of papers out of the desk. Whew. Not a gun. Or a baseball bat. Just some papers. Sora stared curiously at them. Orders from Leon? He relaxed just a bit. Maybe this really was all about instructions left for him through Scarlet. Why not? She was Zexion's secretary, and Leon didn't really have a reason not to trust her. That he was aware of.

"Have a seat." He did, and Scarlet smiled. It actually was a nice smile. A nice everything, he thought absently as she leaned against the desk, one hand resting on the pile of papers. "Now, Sora -- this is about Leon's instructions..."

Sora followed the line of her arm down towards the bound notes. The one on top struck some vague cord with him. He noticed it was a paper that had once been folded, and if he squinted he could make out the words 'For Leon' in the upper corner of the page. In his own handwriting.

"Those instructions included the collection of any message left for Leon, and taking care of them in his absence. So there is a little something extra you and I need to discuss." She leaned forward towards him, but Sora's eyes stayed focused on the papers under her hand.

The top paper was his note from this morning. For Leon. Opened.

_Oh, Crap._

Sora let his eyes drift back towards the face of the woman towering over him in his seated position. He tensed, ready for just about anything to happen. He was fairly certain he was about to die.

_Ok, Hades – here I come. Sorry about that little 'tension' we had before._

Scarlet stared straight at Sora, her fingers drumming loudly atop his note for Leon.

"Crazy, am I? You don't know crazy -- try having your world ripped out from under you, everything you'd ever worked for taken away. _Then_ those Heartless things come."

Sora cast her a slightly confused look, and almost wanted to raise his hand and ask a question, but Scarlet just raved on. "I can't believe I was fired from Shinra after all the research I'd done for them! It was only because of me that they were able to defeat Sephiroth in the first place! If they didn't have that Canon...well, I'll show them. I'll bring the power of the heartless back to Shinra, and once that company is everything it used to be, I'll rip it out from underneath Rufus -- so help me!" Her eyes took on a fevered glow.

Sephiroth? Sora remembered meeting Sephiroth. He had survived the heartless coming to Scarlet's world – but she had not – because his heart was stronger than her's. This probably wasn't the time to bring that up, though. But, he had to say _something_...

"You know, you aren't nearly as pretty when you're acting crazy."

Doh.

Scarlet just glared at him, but Sora had the distinct feeling she wanted to give him a sound smack across the face. "Oh shut up! I knew I heard someone outside sneaking around the day I met with Heidegger. He's such a moron. I'd sent him countless messages through secure lines with my proposal, but he insisted on meeting me face to face. Now look what's happened. There is a little kink in my plan..." She looked smugly at him down the bridge of her nose.

Sora didn't like being referred to as a 'little kink'. It made him sound like a bug that she could just squash under the edge of her too-high heel. He would so not be that easy to take down! As for her plan...

"Scarlet -- you have to know something. Using the heart's power as energy isn't going to work. Look what happened to all the worlds before when the Organization tried it. Including your's..." Sora squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. It seemed obvious enough to _him_.

"But dear Sora..." she purred, "I will _make_ it work." pausing slightly, she looked somewhat thoughtful. "And you are going to help me."

"WHAT? No, I'm not!"

"Don't be so coy." She ran a hand along the side of his face, tracing the line of his chin. "You can be useful -- after all, you've had experience working with these things. And you have a strong heart. A must when we start researching how to turn that strength into energy."

Sora blushed, and he could feel the ends of his hair curl around her fingertip as she twirled it. "No way would I help you do that! I'm going straight from here to tell..." he trailed off. To tell who?

Scarlet laughed lightly. "The fearless Administrator? Or perhaps your dear roommate. How do you know they wouldn't eagerly embrace the news of someone trying to resurrect their old life? With Leon gone, this represents freedom for them." She trailed off, leaving Sora's thoughts in turmoil.

He didn't know what Zexion would do, or any of the teachers if he told them what was going on. And Axel... he trusted him. Axel never cared about the Organization, or of studying the heart's darkness. But if that chance represented freedom? Sora sighed in resignation. Why in the world would Leon think that leaving a campus like this all to its own devices was a good idea?

Smiling, Scarlet leaned closer, placing a finger on his nose. "That's a good boy. Now you see that you don't have much of a choice. None of your friends are even in Radiant Garden, much less on campus." she smirked.

Sora sat up, brushing her hand away from his face. "That doesn't mean I have to help you. I don't even have to stay here." She didn't have a gun, or ax, or even a struggle bat. Sora was tempted to stand and walk straight out of here and back home, to get in touch with King Micky or anyone else who could take care of this crazy...

"I wouldn't really recommend that." she leaned away and pressed a hand coyly against her chin, smiling. "Aren't you worried at all about your mother and Kairi?"

At her words, Sora went very still. "What do you mean?"

"All I mean is that Leon also asked us to continue his monitoring of them when he was gone. Wouldn't it be a shame if some danger befell them but we weren't able to reach them in time to stop it? We're monitoring them very closely. But still ... accidents happen." She fluttered her eyelashes, and Sora felt he was going to be sick.

He closed his eyes, fists balled up in his lap. Why did things have to be going this way? He didn't ask for any of this -- he had only come here because he had been trying to get out of class.

"Sora?"

"Fine." he ground out, teeth clenched. "What do you want me to do?"

"Oh, I don't know..." she waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "But rest assured that I'll have something for you very soon. You needn't be bored for long -- I know how terribly long these classes must be for you, poor thing. It's no wonder you would take any chance you got to get out of them." She leaned forward again, moving to pinch his cheek, "You really are so adorable, you know."

Sora moved backwards, away from her. He didn't trust himself enough at the moment to feel her hands on him again. He figured this meeting was as good as over anyways. He stood and went to the door, and heard her call to him as he prepared to leave.

"Oh Sora -- I really wouldn't recommend you tell anyone at all about our little arrangement. After all, I'd hate to think something might happen to Kairi or your mom if I found out that you did." Jaw clenched, Sora turned the knob and left the room without a backward glance. A nasal, high-pitched cackle followed as it swung shut behind him.

* * *

Sora went across campus and headed back to his room. The conversation with Scarlet had only taken all of ten minutes, but there was no way he was going back to Xaldin's class after what had just happened. He wouldn't be able to hold it together right now. He could skip class today, with a decent excuse -- but this would be the last time it could happen, unless Scarlet said otherwise.

He was furious. Not only was what Scarlet doing extremely foolhardy -- trying to gain power from the hearts of people (something he and countless others had made sacrifices to prevent). She was also dragging Kairi and his mom into it! Threatening them -- to control Sora. Well, he wouldn't stand for it. He would find someone to help him. He would...

Sora stopped briefly in his tracks. Who would help him? Leon was gone. And if he tried to leave and find someone, surely Scarlet would notice and redeem her threat to hurt his family. He had not even been on campus for a week. Not long enough to know who else he could trust. Scarlet had been here for... how long? Long enough to set up enough connections to actually back up what she intended to do, he supposed.

He was stupid for thinking Heidegger was the only one helping her.

So who else was on her side? Xaldin, for sure. Sora had seen the way he ogled her when she came to get him on his first day. Sora rolled his eyes, and continued walking. He hoped _he_ wouldn't be that stupid over some girl when he grew up.

Who else? Sora went over the names of the people on campus in his mind one by one, glad for the distraction of being able to think this through logically for a moment. Besides his own teachers, he hadn't actually run across any of the other Nobodies who were supposedly here. It was surprising, but maybe it shouldn't have been. Just maybe (despite his concerns before) they were avoiding him, the bringer of their past defeat, as much as he was avoiding them. He thought again about who he had seen and had the chance to observe.

There was Larxene -- Sora wasn't sure about her. Though, thinking about it, he decided she and Scarlet were so much alike they were either on the same side, or must hate each other immensly. He could drop Scarlet's name in tomorrow's class and see how Auntie reacted. And Saïx... so diabolical. But he had told Sora to ask him for anything he needed. Would he have to take him up on that? Sora shook his head. He couldn't think of any scenario where that would be a good idea. ("Not if you were the last Nobody in the world!") Heh.

Then there was the Administrator. Zexion. He was the one in charge around here with Leon gone. Did that mean he could be trusted? But he also worked in such close proximity to Scarlet -- they could very well be in this together. Maybe Zexion was the one really behind it all and was just using Scarlet to do his dirty work with the promise that she could use hearts to get her old life back. He thought back to the day when he 'accidentally' overhead Zexion and Axel talking. The way they spoke made it sound like there were things going on around here that they were worried would be discovered. Things that Sora might interfere with.

Axel...

Sora bit his lip, troubled over the thought that the person that he had so recently decided to trust might be in league with the person he had been so recently threatened by. Sora felt a hot tear trickle down the side of his face, and he wiped at it angrily. It shouldn't bother him this much, the idea of Axel working against him. He'd always known what he was.

_He said he wanted to be different..._

Sora tried not to let the thoughts of the former Nobody fill his head. He had other things to worry about just now. If he couldn't trust anyone, he would just have to rely on himself. For his mom, and for Kairi. There was no way he was going to help Scarlet gain the power to control hearts. That was just a more roundabout way of ensuring their death as defying that woman was.

But keeping thoughts of Axel out of his head proved more difficult with his present situation. Sora headed back to his new on campus room, hoping to concentrate on thinking of something -- and Axel would no doubt be there. Even as he turned the corner that brought the entrance of his room into view, he could hear voices echo out into the hallway.

"I'm just saying -- stop using my line, Larxene."

"_Your line_? I know you must be very proud that you managed to string three words together and use them so effectively -- but don't you have more important things to worry about?"

"Oh, ha ha... very funny."

Sora turned the corner, and stood in the doorway, observing Axel and Larxene standing face to face, a few feet of distance between them. Larxene had her arms crossed over her chest, and looked over at the red haired teacher with a patronizing glance. Axel just looked a little annoyed, and slightly confused. The expression cleared when he looked over to see Sora standing in the doorway.

"Hey there, kid. How's the school day?" He smiled, turning away from the blond woman.

"Hey, Axel. It was ok. Hi, Aun...Aww...umm... Ma'am." Sora flinched inwardly. It figured he would let that slip at a time like this.

She turned to him, annoyed -- not apparently for Sora's slip-up -- but for being ignored by the taller man, if the sideways glance was any indication. Sora breathed a small sigh of relief. "Sora -- I don't mind if you call me Larxene outside class, just remember to call me Ma'am when you're running countless laps around the gym. Got it memorized?" Larxene turned to Axel, giving him a smile and a very large wink.

"Ugh. Just get outta here." Axel shooed her out the door and she made a face as he slammed it firmly behind her. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and turned back to Sora. "Sorry. She's a pain."

"Sorry I interrupted." Sora muttered, studying his feet. And he was -- the last thing he wanted to see right now was suggestive proof that his roommate was fraternizing with another Organization member. Though... they were both teachers, Sora reminded himself helplessly. They had tons of reasons to be talking to each other.

Looking up through his bangs, he noticed Axel studying him with a slightly confused expression. After a moment, it cleared to be replaced by a look of realization.

"Oh. It's nothing like that." He walked over to the bed (on his side of the room) and flopped down into it, hands resting behind his head. "You must think we're 'going out' or something. That is what they're calling it these days, isn't it?" Axel looked over at him, an eyebrow raised.

"N-No..." Sora tried to close his gaping mouth. He hadn't been thinking that at all. Though, now that he was, it did seem a way better alternative to the idea that they were both here, plotting things they didn't want him to know about. Better than so many other things.

"Well, we aren't." He closed his eyes, chuckling softly to himself "She was just here for a chat. One of those standard 'Hey there, how are things? No hard feelings about our counterparts stabbing each other in the back.' kind of chat."

Sora's face fell, and he was glad his expression was hidden from Axel at the moment. It would be better if they were dating, he thought again. Though now he wondered what they were really talking about. Sora didn't actually believe that Larxene had been here just to have a diplomatic chat with Axel. Even if she, like Axel, was striving to be a different person now -- it just didn't seem to be the way the woman he'd observed so far would go about doing things.

"I have to do homework." Sora muttered crossly under his breath. It really wasn't any of his business what Axel did with his free time. Leon was right -- Sora couldn't trust him. Shouldn't trust him. There had to be some way out of the predicament he was in that he could figure out on his own. The solution was right in front of his face if he could just clear his mind long enough to find it. No more distressing over who he could trust, and who he couldn't. This was his show now!

He strode over to his bed and pulled a notebook out of his bag, along with a textbook for Saïx's class. What he really needed to work on was Botany, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to do so with his teacher laying three feet away, flat on his back in bed, examining the dirt under his fingernails.

Sora folded open the book and stretched out on his stomach. The words on the page blurred in front of his eyes, though. He squinted slightly, and it helped for a moment -- but the thoughts of everything to do with Scarlet and his mom and Kairi and Riku wouldn't go away. This book wasn't going to help with mind-clearing if he couldn't even focus on it long enough to read more than two words. And Axel was being so very quiet over in the corner. So... not like Axel. Was he thinking over things he and Larxene had talked about? Were those things good or bad? Could the subject _be_ good between the two of them? Was Axel just waiting for Sora to let his guard down...?

"Aren't you going to say something?" Sora demanded, clenching his fist around his pillow next to where the textbook rested.

"What, about you doing homework? What do you want me to say?" Axel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye "I'd praise you for being so diligent, but that isn't for my class."

"That's not what I meant." Sora ground his back teeth together, lips pursed. Why did Axel have to be so oblivious? Or was it cunning?

_Ugh!_

"I just... I have to go and... be by myself. To study." Sora nabbed his book and shoved it back into his bag along with the notebook and pencil he'd nearly stabbed himself with scrambling off the bed. If he found someplace else to think, something would come to him for sure. That's all he needed was time to think.

"Hey, Sora." Axel sat up, swinging his feet onto the floor. "Sorry if I offended you or something. Maybe you don't want girls in the 'bachelor pad' right? Or -- is it something else?" He looked concerned.

"I don't have a problem." Wow, even to him that sounded like a line you say right before you got hauled off for the special classes. Maybe nobody would notice.

"Huh. I've heard that one before. You know, I bet I know what your 'non-existent problem' is." He leaned back a little, studying Sora shrewdly.

"Ha ha. Bet ya don't." Sora slung his bag over his shoulder, and with a quick glance around the room to verify he had everything he needed, marched towards the still-open door. There wasn't really a need to close it with no one down here but him and Axel.

"I saw you with Scarlet earlier."

Sora froze in his tracks. He turned around slowly, not quite sure he believed what he was hearing from the red haired teacher leaning so casually against the headboard. "You... you did?" He swallowed audibly.

"Yeah." The Nobody smiled slightly. "And I can figure why you're so tense."

"You... you can?" Sora couldn't think of anything else to say. He just stared in fascination (and a little bit of wariness) at Axel, wondering what the next words out of his mouth could possibly be.

"It's obvious. You're homesick."

"_What?" _Sora spluttered.

"And that woman reminds you of your mom." He leaned forward, his eyes probing Sora's face "You must miss her, I bet."

"Um, no." Sora readjusted the bag on his shoulder and turned back towards the door, rather disgusted with the conclusion Axel had reached about his current state of mind. He had been away from home for all of two days now, and had spent almost a _year_ away from home before -- thinking it was lost to him forever. Riku and Leon also had a tendency to treat Sora like some lost puppy when they were around. Honestly, who did these people think he _was_?

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'd get homesick myself if I could remember anything 'cept the Organization. Those clowns really aren't that much to get worked up over." He picked his teeth with a fingernail "But YOU. You got your mom, and Kairi, and Riku at home, just half an hours walk away but you can't go see them." Axel peered off into the distance, a hand stretched across his brow.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Riku isn't there."

"Oh? Well, no matter. I'm sure you're still sad and lonely enough with just the thought of two people dear to you so far. Yet so close. Right?" Axel raised his eyes in question to Sora, but Sora wasn't paying any attention to him. Instead, he was focused on the words he had just heard come out of his own mouth.

_Riku isn't there._

For the first time all day, Sora felt himself start to smile a little. Things maybe _maybe_ be looking up just a little bit. He would still have to figure out how to work all this out, but it was possible he actually had a plan.

"Axel, you're a genius." Sora grinned suddenly at the rather confused looking genius in question and sauntered out the door, his pack firmly in his grasp. He still needed a place to think things through, but now he definitely could see some light on the horizon. Or hope on the horizon. Whatever.

Light. Hope. And maybe a friend. That's all that mattered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Wow – so, I haven't written anything in FOREVER. But I have decided to tackle and finish up this story so it no longer haunts me.

Story (floating) "You haven't finished me! Remember me! Oooooo!" (waggles fingers)

Me: "Shut up! Go away, you old spook!"

Story: (days, months later) "Ooooo...Ooooo...Oooo"

Me: "Ok, FINE!"

So there. Not that I haven't **wanted** to finish it. Writing is fun, I've just been busy. Bleh. Also, I tweaked the dialog in Chapter 6 between Sora and Zexion about how his ring worked. I just wasn't happy with it. Now, it says less about the sword being sentient (which was too much, I think) and it talks about how Sora has to know exactly what he's summoning when he summons it (kinda like how alchemy works in FullMetal Alchemist if any of you are fans of that show.) It was what I wanted to say in the beginning but just got carried away with the whole focusing on the keyblade thing. But no worries. Sorry if it's confusing. /

Oh, and Zexion gave Sora a fat list of books to study about components of things to turn the ring into, which is probably what's on Sora's mind when he mentions the library later in chapter...

* * *

**Academy Heartless**

**Chapter 8**

The next day Sora was still going over his "plan" in his head again and again. There wasn't really enough to it yet to make sure it was fool-proof, but he wanted to be as careful as possible. He may only get one chance to try and contact Riku.

It was only through his conversation with Axel that Sora actually remembered Riku wasn't on Destiny Island with his mom and Kairi. He was with Leon. Or possibly by now he was already traveling the roads of darkness. Searching for an answer to all the lurid questions that had been popping up. As much as that thought worried him, it was also that slight possibility that gave Sora the chance to reach him.

Effectively, Sora was a prisoner in this city. He could try and go home to warn or protect his mom and Kairi-- but if Scarlet detected him at all she could do something before he got to them. Yesterday, she hadn't threatened Riku when she'd made her demands of Sora. And now he realized that meant she wasn't bluffing about having watch on his family. She knew Riku wasn't there. He should have perceived it at the time.

He took a deep breath. All in the past now. Had to focus on the task at hand -- which was more than enough in and of itself to think about.

Sora had to find his way into the darkness.

Well, maybe not _into_ the darkness per se. But he had to find a way to get a message to Riku in there. Only Sora couldn't leave the campus. Too much was at risk if he tried. So he was trying to think of something that was on the campus that could help him get outside it.

Sora's head was still bowed, his face so scrunched up deep in thought that he didn't even notice when a figure stopped right in front of him until the feet of said figure were taking up most of his view. His gaze rose slowly from the ground over the tennis shoe clad feet, the khaki cargo pants and ragged t-shirt into a familiar face.

"Hey." Hayner grinned down at him, arms crossed. He looked slightly amused.

"Oh, Hey." Sora stared up at him in surprise. He hadn't seen Hayner since yesterday, and wasn't expecting to run into him until Larxene's class later on.

"Where ya goin?" He tilted his head down at the smaller boy, still smiling.

Sora was torn between being slightly annoyed at having his train of thought disrupted, and happy to finally see a friendly face. It seemed like days since his conversation with Scarlet that had ended with her threatening the lives of his family. It could be measured in hours. "Class." He replied curtly. It should be obvious.

"Oh, well..." Hayner said breezily "I was just thinking maybe you were planning a hike out in the woods or something considering how far away from the campus you are."

Sora glanced sharply behind him. Sure enough, he was several hundred yards beyond the outer ring of campus buildings, and was close to the edge of the forest. He blinked, then turned wordlessly, heading back towards the nearest white structure. If Scarlet saw him, she might get ideas about him trying to leave. She might do something to his mom or Kairi. Sora had no idea when or how she was watching him.

"Hey, hang on there!" Hayner ran to catch up with him. "No offense" He said, jogging slightly beside Sora, who was walking briskly. "Happens to me all the time. Just get to thinking about fire spells or some such thing and then... bam!... you're smack in the middle of the girls' dormitories."

Sora stopped for a moment, not looking up at Hayner, but staring ahead of him at the ground. Could he confide in Hayner? Of course he could! If there was one person... Sora allowed himself a slight smile. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of Hayner immediately when Scarlet was rambling off names of people for him that he didn't dare trust. He had nothing to do with the Organization!

The trustee in question was staring at Sora though as if he'd gone slightly mad. "Are you ok, there? I can get you a drink or something if you need. That helps sometimes."

Sora shook his head, then looked up. "No... I'm ok, thanks. But I've got to tell you something." Sora explained as quickly as he could to his newly re-discovered friend about everything that had taken place since he saw him last, including all his speculations about Axel and all the other teachers and about Riku.

"Wow." Hayner just stared at him for a moment, wide eyed. "She doesn't mess around, does she?" He sounded almost admiring.

"No, she doesn't." Sora snapped. Hayner flinched, but didn't respond. Sora sighed. "Sorry -- I just have to find some way of getting in touch with Riku -- or Leon. But I can't think of how I could possibly do it besides going and questioning one of the Organization."

Hayner scratched his head. "Yah. But it's kinda a toss-up about which one would be ok to ask, huh? I see you're point." he paused for a moment, then continued. "But you know, she hadn't asked you to do anything yet, right?" Sora shook his head. "Well, then don't jump into anything until she asks you to do something that seems completely unreasonable. I mean... we're going to try to find a way to reach your friend, naturally" he said quickly at the look Sora gave him "But maybe in a few days things will become clearer and we can figure something out." He finished with pleading look towards Sora.

Sora considered. He was deeply upset about Scarlet threatening his family and, well, he wanted to do something about immediately. He rubbed his forehead, trying to ward off the headache he felt starting at a point between his eyes. But he didn't have any idea what to do right now. Following Hayner's advice seemed like not a bad plan. "Ok." He sighed. "For now." He amended when Hayner looked overly relieved in his view.

"Alright -- well look, we're probably running late for class anyways. My watch is broken. So I'll go now but see you in gym later, right?" Hayner looked at him hopefully. Sora nodded. "And don't worry" he continued. "We will definitely think of something!" He raised his fist in the air, his thumb and forefinger held an inch apart as though he was clutching something small, even though his hand was empty.

For reasons he didn't understand, Sora returned the gesture, and was overcome suddenly by mingled feelings of elation and melancholy. Hayner smiled widely at him before running off in the direction of his first period class. Sora stared after him for a moment, then repositioned his bag on his back and headed off for his own lesson, wondering fleetingly what that was all about.

--------------------------------------------------------

Class was slightly more interesting now that Sora was studying each and every move of his teacher for any hints that he was an accomplice to Scarlet's plan. But Saïx was acting like his usual self - not that Sora could actually claim to know exactly what that was. There wasn't any telling body language or sideways glances from the man that he could read as hiding anything.

Then again this reading between the lines thing wasn't exactly his forte.

Sora sighed as he left class. He hadn't yet thought up any brilliant ideas about contacting Riku yet. Leaving campus wasn't an option. Spelling out "HELP ME RIKU" on the lawn with bedsheets was kinda far-fetched and would probably only work if Riku was flying overhead in some type of aircraft. Still -- there was the idea of asking Axel for help. The Nobody seemed so determined though, to exact his current self from his former one, that he might decide to stick with the Organization's plans and betray Sora -- unlike his counterpart.

Not having a chance to talk to Hayner in Larxene's class without running the risk of being yelled at, Sora simply waited until they were both outside afterwards. "Hey, Hayner. Quite a workout today, huh?" Sora asked, without much enthusiasm.

"Yeah." Hayner panted. Larxene had been particularly hard on him today when he'd let her nickname slip out during class. Sora was determined to try and get out of the habit of calling her that, even around Hayner. But every time he saw her antennae-like hair wobble slightly it made the effort to contain himself doubly hard. Sora wasn't surprised Hayner had caved under pressure and let it slip.

"Listen." He huddled in close to Sora, who could smell the sweat pouring off him, though he knew he must smell just as bad, and lowered his voice. "I was thinking about the whole contacting Riku thing -- and I wondered about how the staff contacts people off-campus. You know... most of them can't even leave. They have to have some way of doing it."

"Zexion said he had a computer in his office that could contact the outside." Sora muttered absently.

Hayner leaned back (thankfully, thought Sora, who took the chance to catch a deep breath) and blinked slightly "Well, there you go!" He replied "We just sneak in there and use it."

"But he's always _in_ his office." Sora reminded him. " Or the door's locked. Or _she's_" he practically spit the word out of his mouth "there".

"Oh, well" Hayner shifted uncomfortably "It's worth a try, you know. You do have a _key_blade, after all."

Sora paused. His keyblade never had the power to open regular doors before. Maybe it couldn't, or maybe it had some sense of superiority about being used to open just any old door. But either way, it wouldn't help him get into Zexion's office. Unless...

"Listen, Hayner. I have to go get a few things from the library, ok?" Sora glanced back towards the building they had just left. Which also happened to contain the school library. "I, uh, forgot..." He turned back towards the other boy, shrugging helplessly.

"Alright. Want company?" Hayner raised his eyebrows. Sora glanced down at Hayner's sweat-soaked form the same time as Hayner was gazing down at Sora, his nose wrinkled.

"You know..." Hayner began.

"It's just..." Sora started.

"You stink!" They both finished simultaneously, then started laughing. It felt good, and Sora felt his mood lighten. After a few minutes more of banter, they both decided to go their separate ways and freshen up instead of assaulting the librarian with their pungent presence.

* * *

Reaching his room, Sora went to set down his bag – even though he didn't have too many books yet, with only three classes that required them, lugging them around all day tended to be a strain. However, as he dropped it he noticed a note laying at the top of his bed.

_Oh, just great…_

Sora picked up the note and groaned when he read its contents.

_**Sora,**_

_**You will be happy to know I have found an errand that you could run for me. It was so sweet of you to volunteer to help out around the office yesterday. Please come see me before your second class. I will be waiting.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**Scarlet**_

Sora scowled, and crumpled the note in his fist, his former jovial mood dissipating. So this was how it was going to be, huh? He supposed with Scarlet now thinking he was her little lapdog, there was no help for it.

_Might as well get this over with._

Grabbing his bag again (no telling what crazy lady might be asking him to do or how long it would take) Sora retraced his stepped back across campus, bringing him to the main building that held the office he had come to know so well over these past few days. Inside, Scarlet was indeed waiting behind her desk, head tilted forward as she jotted notes down on a piece of paper.

She looked up as he came to stand before her, and smiled widely. It was a wonder that smile had ever made Sora blush. A smiling Scarlet seemed to mean a happy Scarlet - and now that thought only made him cringe.

"Well,well… good timing, Sora." She said as she stood, scooting her chair back. "Come with me and let me show you what I've got for you to do."

Sora sighed inwardly. He knew how this ended last time. No more threats though. No new ones anyways - she was just going to be telling him what he had to do now to keep those threats from becoming realities.

He didn't hesitate this time as he followed her to one of the empty rooms, straggling slightly behind as she made her way down the hall. What's the hurry, right?

The room she chose this time was different than before. There was no furniture in it at all. A few lone chairs were stacked in the far corner, and a pile of gym mats stood next to them - all covered in a fine layer of dust. It was obvious this room hadn't been used for anything probably since it was made.

Turning, Scarlet held out a hand to stop Sora short of running into her. He had been a little preoccupied taking in his surroundings. Or lack of them.

"Now Sora - You understand why we need to keep it under wraps what exactly the 'errands' you'll be doing entail." Sora assumed she was referring to the (in his eyes) poorly disguised threats she'd sent to bring him to the office. Seeing the look on his face, her eyes twinkled. "Well, we have no need for pretense here. Allow me to get right to the point."

_I wish you would, already._

"I need you to get me a key."

He blinked. A key? "What kind of key?"

"It's a very special key. And it is _very_ important that I have it. To both of us, of course." She smiled. "I don't really need to say why -- we've gone over that thoroughly. But you understand - I need this as soon as possible."

Sora scratched his head. "What is it for?"

"That, little man" she stated smugly "Is none of your business. The only thing you need to worry about is getting it." Sora scowled. Now that was just needlessly obnoxious.

Scarlet continued "I already know where it is. The key I need is held by only one person. The Administrator is the one who has it."

"But, uh…" Sora furrowed his brow "Why would you need me to take a key from Zexion? I thought you two were in this together?" She had alluded that she had practically every Organization member on her side. The gaze he focused on her was penetrating. Was she lying about that? If so, what else was she lying about?

"We are" She glanced down, smoothing her skirt with her hands before looking back up at him "But it doesn't hurt to have a few extra tricks up your sleeve when dealing with anyone, I've come to learn." Her gaze drifted to the door behind them. Sora turned but he couldn't see anyone at the window of the door. When he looked back Scarlet was retrieving a folded piece of paper from her skirt pocket.

Sora studied her for a moment. "Umm… how am I supposed to get something as small as a key off of Zexion? I don't know uh…where he would keep it." He shifted uncomfortably. "Or even where he is half the time."

Scarlet's eyes were still looking down as she unfolded the paper. "That's not my problem. It's yours. You fought heartless for over a year. Tell me you didn't retain some of your skills at stealth?"

Hmm.

"That wasn't exactly…" O_ur approach to things_. Sora wanted to say, but she cut him short.

"And I mean stealth." She fixed him with a firm glare, and Sora's next words died in his throat "It's very important that Zexion doesn't find out that you took it. He keeps it on a chain around his neck at all times. As for where he will be…" Scarlet held out the piece of paper to him, and Sora reluctantly took it from her. "This is his daily itinerary. Where he is supposed to be, and when. That should help."

Sora glanced over the paper. There were meetings set up all day, all over campus. He would never be able to follow this guy around and keep up with all the things he was supposed to do as well. He held up the paper helplessly. "What about classes?"

"You keep going." She once again focused a healthy stare at him, making Sora gulp. "Nothing. I repeat, _nothing_ is to give away the fact that you're following him, or he'll begin to wonder what's going on." Walking over to the window, Scarlet crossed her arms and glanced up and down the hallway. "Not that it poses a great threat…" She turned towards him once again, and this time grinned wickedly "but I do like to have my leverage."

_Yeah, so I gathered._ Sora sighed, tucking the Administrator's schedule into a pocket. "I'll get right on it, then."

"That's a good boy." Opening the door, Scarlet ushered Sora out into the hall. Following him, she shut the door tight behind them, "And if you need anything at all…" she flipped the key clockwise, locking it. "Keep it to yourself. I have enough to do without you underfoot trying to figure out how to do things." Tucking the key in a pocket, she walked back towards the direction of the office without a backwards glance. Sora stuck his tongue out.

_Keep it to yourself. _Sora thought mockingly. Like he needed any advice from her!

He walked away from the room where they'd had their meeting, and in the opposite direction from the office. He'd be happy if he never had to see this building again.

Fingering the folded paper in his pocket, Sora contemplated how he would be able to follow the Zexion around without being seen. There had to be some kind of way he could observe him without having to worry about being a seen. A disguise maybe? Sora flinched when he thought about Heidegger and his janitorial 'uniform'.

One thing was for sure, though. This assignment to follow Zexion around would help him, too. He needed to know when the Administrator would be away from his office, and Scarlet had just handed him that very information.

Thanks, Scarlet.


End file.
